Synonymical associations are rarely par for the course in franchise cricket leagues, yet across its 18-year history, the Indian Premier League has witnessed more than a few enduring pairings. Among the more notable of those is the association between Rajasthan Royals and Sanju Samson.
Across two stints, Samson has represented the Royals in 11 seasons. In those, he has played 155 matches, wherein he accumulated 4219 runs at an average of 31.93 and a strike rate of 140.53. He is Rajasthan’s all-time leading run-scorer. Beyond his batting, Samson has also captained the Royals in 67 matches, winning 33 of them — both figures standing as franchise records. While an IPL title has eluded him, he came agonisingly close in 2022.
For the first time in nearly a decade, Samson will not be seen in pink. Instead, he will be seen donning the yellow of proud five-time champions, Chennai Super Kings, come the 2026 IPL, after being traded in a deal worth Rs 18 crores, which also saw Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran going the other way.
Shane Bond, the Royals’ assistant and fast-bowling coach, admits it will feel “weird” to see Samson in yellow. In an exclusive conversation with The Quint, Bond — currently serving as bowling coach of the Gulf Giants in the International League T20 — spoke at length about the IPL and life of a journeyman coach.
Here are excerpts from the conversation:
For the first time in nearly a decade, the Rajasthan Royals team sheet will not feature the name of Sanju Samson. What do you make of his departure?
I think that’s just the nature of sport, isn’t it? This year in the IPL you’re starting to see a little bit more trading going on, and it’s always been a surprise that it didn’t happen earlier. If you look at other sports like football — and I’m a big fan of American sports — players are constantly getting traded and moved. Sometimes it’s the best thing for both the team and the player, just to get a fresh environment and a fresh experience. I really enjoyed working with Sanju. He’s a very funny guy, has a great sense of humour, and we connected really well. It’s going to feel weird to see him in yellow, but I’m sure I’ll still see that cheeky grin. Of course, you hope he doesn’t score runs against you, but at the same time, when you’ve spent time with someone, you care about them and you want them to do well wherever they are.
Whilst Samson has left, you have also had exciting additions prior to the auction, with the most notable name being Ravindra Jadeja. How excited are you to work with him?
I’m really looking forward to working with Ravindra Jadeja. He’s obviously an outstanding player and brings a lot of quality and experience to the group. Last season was a tough one for us, no doubt about that, and there have been some significant changes — both in the coaching staff and the playing personnel. But that also brings fresh energy and new ideas. I’m genuinely excited about what lies ahead and keen to see how we can put all the pieces together this season.
Rajasthan Royals, since the inception of IPL, have carved a niche as the breeding ground of young talent. Ravindra Jadeja, though, is approaching his forties. How is this trade going to reflect on the franchise's youth-driven policies?
We have sort of gone away from investing only in youth. We’ve got a nice balance now of youth and experience, and if you look around the IPL, every team has had young players come through. Look at someone like Chennai’s opener Ayush Mhatre. He has been sensational. It’s always happened. I remember when Hardik came in, when Bumrah came in — there are always young emerging stars across teams. Rajasthan have had that too. I remember Jaiswal’s first game against us when I was at Mumbai, seeing this young kid, and now look where he is. You’ve got to recognise that in any squad you need a blend of youth and experience. That’s what wins you tournaments. Last year we probably lacked a bit of leadership and experience, and we’ve tried to address that by bringing in guys like Sam and Jaddu. It gives you that experienced core we earlier had with players like Buttler, Boult and Ashwin. That blend brings a different kind of energy, but you do need leaders around the group. That’s why, as a group, we’re pretty excited about the upcoming season, especially with the option to add a few more players and then really get stuck in.
Despite a substandard exhibition in IPL 2025, Rajasthan retained 16 players, which shows that the management has faith in the core they had assembled in the mega auction. What are your expectations from IPL 2026?
Yes, we have a nice squad already, and there’s a fresh energy around the group. Every time you go into an IPL season, you go in with optimism, but you also know it’s probably one of the toughest competitions to win because every team is extremely strong. First and foremost, the aim is always to play well and make the playoffs, and then give yourself a genuine chance to challenge for the title. We came really close the year before last, and I think there’s a renewed sense of belief this time around. It’s a slightly different squad, but one that looks well balanced and competitive. We’ll really find out in March and April, but at this stage, there’s a lot to be positive about.
Kumar Sangakkara is back at the helm as the team's head coach. It was under his leadership that the team reached the final in 2022. Do you think he can rejuvenate the squad?
I do love Sanga. He’s a great man. Very personable, and we actually share a very similar sense of humour, so there are plenty of laughs. He had a really successful tenure at Rajasthan, so it’s completely understandable that he’s come back. He connects extremely well with people and knows those young players who’ve been around the franchise for a number of years. He’s very clear about how he thinks we can win, and I think everyone is aligned with what we want to do and how we’re going to go about it this year. We’ve already had some really good meetings and spent quality time together. It does feel like a bit of a refresh, but also a coming together of some familiar faces. I’m really looking forward to working with Sanga and spending time with him through March, April and May — and hopefully June as well.
Has there been any conversations around who the next captain of Rajasthan Royals is going to be?
We have brought in a number of players. I’m not going to speculate on who the captain will be — that’s Sangakkara’s job. What we have done is bring in players who are a little bit older and wiser, players who’ve experienced a tough season and will learn from it. We’ve added more experience into the group, and now it’s up to Sanga to make that call. I’ll sit back and wait to see who he decides on.
You have been coaching for a while now. How have you been enjoying this role? What are the aspects of coaching that keeps you traveling from one league to another?
It’s been good. I’m lucky. I’ve been coaching for about 15 years now, so it’s been a long journey. I spent three years with the national team and did various roles at New Zealand Cricket, including with the A teams and winter squads. But franchise cricket is very unique. What I love most about it is the opportunity to work with different people, hearing different opinions, seeing different coaching styles, understanding how things are run, and, of course, working with different players. You end up developing this amazing global network. There are people in this team now whom I’ve coached against, spoken to after games, and shared conversations with. But this time, you get the chance to work with them closely, on a more personal level, and build those relationships further. After 15 years, you realise you’ve built a wide circle of friends all around the world, and that’s one of the great things about cricket.
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