NEW CHANDIGARH: Rajasthan Royals head coach and director of cricket Kumar Sangakkara was mostly measured and composed after his side lost Qualifier 2 against Gujarat Titans to exit IPL-2026 on Friday. But when Sam Curran's name came up, the composure acquired a sharper edge.
Sangakkara didn't hold back and questioned the English allrounder's last-minute withdrawal from the tournament, pointing out that the same player who was told to have a 'season-ending injury' has now played three Vitality Blast T20 matches for Surrey back home.
Sangakkara's outburst
'We were told that Sam Curran had a season-ending injury, but I think I saw him playing for Surrey for two games or three games now, so that was very disappointing,' Sangakkara said. 'We'd have loved to have had him here playing for us.'
In a blockbuster IPL trade ahead of the 2026 season, Curran was traded from Chennai Super Kings to Rajasthan Royals in a massive double-swap deal. RR got the services of Ravindra Jadeja and Curran, while CSK got Sanju Samson in exchange. Curran was valued at Rs 2.40 crore in the trade, but pulled out before the tournament began, citing a groin injury. The Royals then brought in Dasun Shanaka as his replacement.
Frustration over commitment
Sangakkara's frustration was clear, as he questioned Curran's commitment and said, 'A proper tight policy around that (injuries and availability for the tournament) is always a requirement. The BCCI does have a strict policy on that. Every person goes through injuries, and if it's a serious injury, (or) a season-ending injury, of course we understand.'
The RR head coach also highlighted how many players in the team gave their all during the season despite not getting much game time. 'We've had quite a few injuries. We've also had players like Adam Milne, (Shimron) Hetmyer, quite a few who've come here, not had much of a game. Lhuan-dre Pretorius is another one. Kwena Maphaka is another one. They've been here, they've done the hard yards, they've practiced, they've carried water for the team, and they've really worked as hard as anyone else to support the team in this journey. It's really up to that individual player to decide whether they want to come or not,' Sangakkara said.
'I think the BCCI policy is very strict now, and that's the way it should continue to be — very strict; to make sure that contractual obligations are met properly and genuinely. Every side in the IPL will benefit from that,' he added.
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