Rajasthan Royals made one of the biggest moves of the season by trading captain Sanju Samson to Chennai Super Kings. The franchise decided to make a leadership change after Samson struggled to lift the team from the lower positions in the last season.
CSK took Samson with the expectation that he would find stronger form in their setup. In exchange, RR secured Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran from CSK. Jadeja agreed to a reduced salary from Rs 18 crore to Rs 14 crore, while Curran is expected to strengthen the pace attack that RR lacked last year.
Along with Jadeja and Curran, RR also added Donovan Ferreira through a trade involving Delhi Capitals, while Nitish Rana moved out in the opposite direction.
These changes marked one of the biggest squad transformations in the league ahead of IPL 2026. RR officials prepared a new structure for the team, which now includes a mix of experienced all-rounders and young talents. The trades are expected to reshape the Royals’ performance strategy for the upcoming season. The new lineup reflects the team’s intent to rebuild after a disappointing previous campaign.
RR Squad for IPL 2026: Full List of Retained and Traded Players
Rajasthan Royals confirmed their retained list for IPL 2026. The squad includes Ravindra Jadeja, Sam Curran, and Donovan Ferreira as trade-ins. Key Indian players Yashasvi Jaiswal, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Dhruv Jurel, Riyan Parag, Shimron Hetmyer, Shubham Dubey, and Yudhvir Singh also remain with the team.
Jofra Archer and pacers Tushar Deshpande, Sandeep Sharma, and Kwena Maphaka complete the core group. The Royals expect this balanced mix of all-rounders, batters, and pacers to help them improve their performance. The team has now created space for new additions in the mini-auction.
The Royals released several expensive overseas players ahead of IPL 2026. Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, and Fazalhaq Farooqi exited the squad after failing to deliver consistent match-winning performances. These players had high salaries, and their release gives RR more flexibility in the upcoming mini-auction.
The Royals also released Akash Madhwal, Kumar Kartikeya, Kunal Rathore, and Ashok Sharma as part of the restructuring. The franchise aims to rebuild the bowling unit and strengthen performances in pressure situations. The released list shows RR’s plan to make room for more impactful signings.
Rajasthan Royals retained promising young players as part of their long-term plan. Yashasvi Jaiswal continues with the franchise after delivering strong performances at the top order last season.
The management kept 14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi as well, showing confidence in his talent and potential. Dhruv Jurel, Riyan Parag, and other young players also stay as part of the core group. RR plans to build a competitive squad around these rising stars while balancing the experience brought in by Jadeja and Curran. The franchise aims to strengthen consistency through a refreshed combination.
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Swastika Sruti is a Senior Sub Editor at NewsX Digital with 5 years of experience shaping stories that matter. She loves tracking politics- national and global trends, and never misses a chance to dig deeper into policies and developments. Passionate about what’s happening around us, she brings sharp insight and clarity to every piece she works on. When not curating news, she’s busy exploring what’s next in the world of public interest. You can reach her at [swastika.newsx@gmail.com]
