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Samson for CSK or Jadeja for RR: Decoding better potential captaincy option amid IPL trade

Debashis Sarangi

Samson and Jadeja could be CSK and RR's captaincy candidates [Source: AFP]Samson and Jadeja could be CSK and RR's captaincy candidates [Source: AFP]

The IPL gossip has attained its peak, with Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals mulling over a high-profile player swap. Reports suggest that the much-talked-about Sanju Samson-Ravindra Jadeja IPL trade is almost done and can be announced officially anytime soon. 

Sanju Samson and Ravindra Jadeja have been two absolute beasts in the Indian Premier League. Besides their attributes with bat and ball, Samson and Jadeja's leadership qualities and ability to take the responsibility upon themselves make them complete T20 packages. Thus, if such a trade is executed, both RR and CSK will be empowered with two excellent captaincy options, having ample experience and brand value. 

However, which of these two players could be a better captaincy candidate? Let's analyse several factors to draw a conclusion. 

Sanju Samson vs Ravindra Jadeja: Comparison of overall captaincy record

Criterion
Jadeja
Samson
Matches10100
Won354
Lost745
Win %3054

(Jadeja vs Samson captaincy record comparison)

As evidenced by the above stats, Ravindra Jadeja, despite being an experienced campaigner, has captained in a handful of matches in his career. Available data suggests that Jadeja has led his side in ten games, including eight as the CSK skipper, emerging victorious on just three occasions. While he has a wealth of experience on his side, Jadeja's past horrors as a captain are hard to ignore. 

On the other hand, Sanju Samson has captained ten times as the games as Jadeja has played as a skipper. The data available suggests Samson has led in 100 matches, including 67 for RR and 32 for Kerala, resulting in 54 wins combined across formats. 

If we only consider IPL, Jadeja has only two victories in eight matches, recording a modest win percentage of 25 per cent, while Samson has won more than half of the matches as the Royals' skipper. These facts signify that Samson, despite being a junior to Jadeja, has comprehensively outdone him as a captain. 

How could external factors impact Jadeja and Samson's captaincy in IPL?

Leadership group and MS Dhoni factor

  • If Sanju Samson joins the Super Kings and CSK hire him as their new captain to minimise Ruturaj Gaikwad's workload, his leadership acumen will further be enriched by the guidance of MS Dhoni, whom he will get by his side in the CSK dugout. Samson has been impressive as an IPL captain, even leading RR to the IPL 2022 final. So, getting groomed by someone of Dhoni's stature will further fine-tune his leadership qualities and establish him as a true successor to the Indian talisman. 
  • On the contrary, the challenge will be quite different for Ravindra Jadeja, who will get youngsters like Suryavanshi, Jaiswal and Riyan Parag under his wings. While the presence of these players may indeed give a dynamic look to the Royals' lineup on paper, managing the ambitious trio while simultaneously getting involved in auction planning and maintaining a good relationship with RR's decision-makers could be a daunting task for the veteran cricketer. 

The crowd factor

  • CSK's passionate fan base is expected to celebrate Sanju Samson's arrival at the Anbuden. Since Samson's CSK joining rumours have taken pace, several fan pages of the Yellow Army are seen rejoicing the signing. Furthermore, CSK will play their home games at Chepauk, where Samson will stay pumped up amid the support and cheer from the home crowd. 
  • On the contrary, Rajasthan Royals might shift their home venue from Jaipur to Guwahati, as per reports. In that case, Jadeja, despite once being a part of the RR setup, might not get the support that he usually receives from the CSK fans. Moreover, it won't be surprising if the Guwahati crowd goes on to boo Jadeja if he pips home-boy Riyan Parag in the RR captaincy race. So, these factors could also psychologically hamper Jadeja's RR homecoming. 

The risk factor

  • Sanju Samson is just 31 and has age on his side to evolve and mature as a player and captain. So, if he is chosen as CSK's captain, Samson can afford at least one bad season, and it may not make the five-time champions reactionary as they search for Dhoni's long-term successor. 
  • However, the same thing can't be said about Ravindra Jadeja, who is at the twilight of his career. The veteran allrounder will turn 37 before the next IPL, and as per reports, he has demanded the Royals' captaincy to join them. If RR agree to his terms and conditions, Jadeja will be under the pump to deliver the goods. In such a scenario, the psychological pressure might get the better of him and decrease his IPL stocks further. 

Conclusion

With due respect to Ravindra Jadeja and the kind of an allrounder he has been in the IPL, his past captaincy record and several external factors, as mentioned above, make his RR captaincy appointment a huge gamble. So, considering all aspects, we believe Sanju Samson will be a better captaincy option for CSK than Jadeja for the Royals.