Ravindra Jadeja Gears Up for a Fresh IPL Chapter with Rajasthan Royals

The IPL 2026 season might be a bit hurting for the CSK fans, as they would miss the availability of Ravindra Jadeja. He has not retired from the game, but he won't be playing for their team. Instead, he will be seen in a different jersey, and play against his former team after a long time.

Chennai Super Kings fans know that their team is strong for the next season. They have players such as Sanju Samson, MS Dhoni, Dewald Brevis, and many more. But there is one player who they won't be able to find in the Yellow jersey, and it is Ravindra Jadeja. After playing multiple seasons for the team, he has now been transferred to a new team.

Jadeja will be playing for Rajasthan Royals in the upcoming season and he has also started the preparations for the same. He recently posted a photo on his social media handles with the he will be wearing in the next season. The post made by Jadeja has given an emotional moment to the fans.

Jadeja-Samson Trade Deal

Just before the IPL 2026 auction, there were some major trade deals involved between teams. And the one which took over the headlines involved and Sanju Samson. Chennai Super Kings wanted a back-up wicket-keeper to their line-up, as it is unclear how many seasons MS Dhoni would play for the team.

So, the best possible option for the same was Sanju Samson. And Rajasthan Royals wanted to take advantage of this deal, so they demanded two players for the same. In exchange of Sanju Samson, the team demanded Ravindra Jadeja and another player from Chennai Super Kings.

Eventually, Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran were. This deal was finalised on 15 November and posted across the social media handles of both teams and the IPL. Jadeja's price was revised at 14 crore, while Sam Curran was at 4 crore. In return, Chennai Super Kings got Sanju Samson for 18 crore.

Jadeja's CSK Phase

Ever since the IPL 2012 edition, Ravindra Jadeja has been a part of the Chennai Super Kings franchise. In this period, the team has won multiple trophies with Jadeja also playing a crucial role in the same. Even in the last final they won back in 2023, it was Jadeja who finished the game with a six and a four on the last two balls.

Pic Source: ESPNcricinfo

After the game, the Indian veteran MS Dhoni was also seen lifting Jadeja, which became a moment to cherish for the CSK fans. But now it seems impossible for the fans to watch Jadeja and Dhoni play together. Dhoni is already retired from all forms of international cricket, and Jadeja is no longer a part of Chennai Super Kings.

However, the majority of the IPL career of Ravindra Jadeja had been spent with this franchise. From 2012 to 2025, he represented the team in yellow jersey, contributing with both bat and ball. Whether the team wanted a finisher or someone to finish overs quickly, Jadeja was the one who stepped up.

Ravindra Jadeja for CSK:

• Matches: 186
• Runs: 2198
• Batting Average: 28.54
• 50s: 5
• Wickets: 143
• Bowling Average: 28.32

For a brief period of time, he was also the captain of the team. But his time as a captain was relatively short, limited to just a few games. He was later replaced by MS Dhoni, as Jadeja himself decided to step down as the captain. Out of the four IPL trophies won by the team, Jadeja has been a part in four of them.

Reliving Initial IPL Seasons

Ravindra Jadeja is now back to Rajasthan Royals for the upcoming IPL season. It should be noted that this is the same team from which Jadeja started his IPL journey. He played for Rajasthan Royals at a time when he didn’t even have his place in the Indian cricket team. And now, he is among the finest spin all-rounders for the Indian side.

Pic Source: ESPNcricinfo

While Jadeja bloomed in his career since his start with Rajasthan Royals, it has not been the same with the team. Rajasthan Royals had their best season in the inaugural edition of the IPL. Since then, they have reached inches close to the finals but always fell short to win the same.

Ravindra Jadeja in Rajasthan Royals:

• Matches: 27
• Runs: 423
• Batting Average: 23.88
• 50s: 0
• Wickets: 6
• Bowling Average: 28.66

Since it will be a happy reunion for Jadeja and Royals, it is expected that the team could relive their dominance after a long time. They have now spent 17 seasons without a trophy, which makes them much more eager to get another win. It still remains to be seen what happens in the next season, as the fans will await the clash between Rajasthan Royals and Chennai Super Kings.