IPL 2026: Is Captaincy the Real Reason Ravindra Jadeja Took a Pay Cut for Rajasthan Royals?

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Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Rajasthan Royals (RR) have finalized a sensational exchange. Sanju Samson will move to the yellow team in return for Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran. However, the reported price cut of Rs. 4 crore has surprised many Jadeja fans.

Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra has offered his analysis and predicted the reason behind the ace all-rounder’s move to the Rajasthan Royals at a significantly reduced price compared to his IPL 2025 fees with CSK.

The Financial Mystery of the Rs. 4 Crore Pay Cut

Ravindra Jadeja's transfer to the Rajasthan Royals included a significant pay reduction. His yearly fee was revised from Rs. 18 crore at CSK to Rs. 14 crore at RR. This amounts to a Rs. 4 crore cut, which is quite surprising for an all-rounder of his caliber. The IPL has also officially confirmed this revised fee as part of the trade agreement.

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Jadeja’s choice to take a pay reduction is quite unusual for an elite player in the league. Normally, top stars only see their contracts move upwards in value. This unprecedented move raises an important question about player motivation. Franchise officials suggest the pay cut might be a future trend in the IPL trade market.

Aakash Chopra Dissects the Captaincy Incentive Speculation

Aakash Chopra tried to link Jadeja’s agreement with this pay cut to an interesting captaincy speculation. He said, “Maybe he was done with CSK and did not want to stay there. However, he could have done that by bidding in the auction as well. Have RR offered him captaincy? Was that the incentive for which he has gone towards RR? It is very interesting. There has to be a bit more to it.”

The former India opener Aakash Chopra analyzed the intriguing pay cut of the all-rounder and his motive. This angle points towards a leadership role, or a fresh, desired environment might be the real trade-off.

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