The Ravindra Jadeja vs Sanju Samson captaincy battle is another topic circulating among the sports fraternity. The development arises after both players are rumored to be swapped between their present franchises, with Jadeja shifting to the Rajasthan Royals (RR) camp, while Samson joining the Chennai Super Kings (CSK). The veteran stars are now judged on the basis of their leadership qualities, giving another dimension to the historic trade between franchises. However, the trade has not been confirmed and is expected to move forward after RR and CSK announce their list of retained and released players on or before November 15.

Sanju Samson vs Ravindra Jadeja：IPL Captaincy Record

When it comes to leadership roles in the cash-rich league, both players have a vast difference in terms of experience. Sanju Samson’s captaincy stint in the Royals setup began in 2021 and has brought laurels to the franchise. With a calm-headed approach and clear thinking with his strategies, Samson has helped RR to win 33 out of 67 IPL games, which equates to a win percentage of 49.25%.

Sanju Samson’s Captaincy Stats (IPL)

Under his leadership, RR emerged as a runner-up in the 2022 edition, reaching the final for the first time after 2008. The Samson-led side also did well to reach the playoffs in 2024, before losing Qualifier 2 against Sunrisers Hyderabad. In 2025, he missed out on a few games due to injury issues, as RR finished ninth in the table with only four wins in 14 matches.

“He is a captain whom I want to win games for. That’s the best captain”

This one’s for you, Sanju Samson. 💗 pic.twitter.com/T1EB1yoHXj

— Rajasthan Royals (@rajasthanroyals) April 16, 2024

Meanwhile, Ravindra Jadeja’s captaincy tenure was a forgettable affair. Ahead of the 2022 edition, MS Dhoni hogged headlines after he passed on the CSK leadership baton to Jadeja, marking a significant transition for the franchise. However, Jadeja didn’t have any captaincy experience, and Dhoni was seen setting up the field and curating strategies with the bowler, as the 36-year-old was stationed near the boundary. CSK suffered a major collapse, as they went on to achieve victories in only two out of their first eight games. Then, Ravindra Jadeja dropped a bombshell by leaving the captaincy mid-way, and Dhoni was again back as the leader.

Ravindra Jadeja’s Captaincy Stats (IPL)

The Chennai-based franchise ended ninth with only four wins in 14 games. Since then, Jadeja has not been counted among the probable leadership figures, with Ruturaj Gaikwad currently leading the team. Hence, Sanju Samson’s captaincy emerges as a far better choice in terms of longevity, experience, and success.

Challenges for Both Players as Captains After a Probable Trade

According to reports, CSK and RR have initiated an Expression of Interest (EoI) for executing the major trade of Sanju Samson and Ravindra Jadeja. However, the inclusion of the third player, Sam Curran, in the trade has made things tricky. With Curran being an overseas player, RR cannot include him in their roster, as their foreign quota is already full. They will have to release one of their eight overseas players to accommodate Curran, which will also allow them to bring Jadeja into the setup and Samson heading south.

🚨 RAVINDRA JADEJA AS RAJASTHAN ROYALS CAPTAIN 🚨

– Ravindra Jadeja has asked the Rajasthan Royals management for Captaincy as part of their trade. (News18). pic.twitter.com/KdF72z82Bo

— Tanuj (@ImTanujSingh) November 12, 2025

However, Ravindra Jadeja leaving CSK is certainly a tough pill to swallow for all the Yellow Army fans all around the world, who fondly call him ‘Thalapathy’. The fans admire him for being loyal to the franchise and producing consistent performances in both departments. If the deal goes through and Jadeja is announced as the franchise’s leader, it will be difficult for him to gauge the team environment from the first season itself. Although the all-rounder kicked off his IPL career with the Royals, he will be joining the Royals camp for the first time after 2009.

🚨 JADEJA ASKS RR CAPTAINCY 🚨

As per Cricketnext, Jadeja has informed the RR management that he wishes to be the captain if the trade deal between the team and CSK is finalized. The report claims that the all-rounder wants to spend the final years of his IPL career with more… pic.twitter.com/YDnGiwkr8X

— Forever_yellove (@loyal_cskian) November 12, 2025

Ravindra Jadeja’s captaincy could only mount extra pressure on him to deliver on the trust bestowed by the team management. Although he will have the core Indian players like Yashasvi Jaiswal, Riyan Parag, and Dhruv Jurel, it might be difficult for him to contribute consistently on a relatively different surface in Jaipur.

The same could be said for Sanju Samson, who will be playing and captaining CSK for the first time. The franchise’s home ground, Chepauk, has played a key role in CSK’s success, as MS Dhoni and the senior players have good knowledge about the surface, dimensions, and have picked players based on all parameters. However, Samson has not played enough matches in Chennai, and it might take him some time to adjust to the conditions and bring the best out of the XI.

Ravindra Jadeja vs Sanju Samson：Who Could Be a Better Leader in IPL?

When talking about the final choice for the Ravindra Jadeja vs Sanju Samson leadership battle, the keeper-batter has a clear upper hand. Although no one can predict the future, Ravindra Jadeja’s captaincy doesn’t exude the same confidence as Sanju Samson’s captaincy. The stature of Samson has also risen sharply after he achieved success as a batter and a leader for the Rajasthan Royals.

Who will be the Rajasthan Royals captain once Sanju Samson departs? ©️#IPL pic.twitter.com/WUv4ZcIAbF

— Sport360° (@Sport360) November 12, 2025

Being a keeper, he has the best view of how the pitch is behaving, can give his inputs on the bowler’s lengths, and gauge the batter’s movements to construct a winning strategy successfully. Meanwhile, Jadeja is an agile fielder, a clever operator with the ball, and a proven performer with the bat. However, his 3D abilities are not expected to help him emerge as a better leader than Samson.