‘Why does someone take a pay cut?’: Aakash on Jadeja’s trade to RR from CSK

NEW DELHI: Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra expressed wonder over star Indian all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja’s trade move to Rajasthan Royals (RR) after staying loyal to Chennai Super Kings (CSK) for over a decade and taking a pay cut in his move to the pink franchise.

In one of the biggest trade-offs in Indian Premier League (IPL) history, Jadeja and English all-rounder Sam Curran moved to his alma mater Rajasthan Royals (RR), the inaugural IPL champions from CSK, while the Men in Yellow got the services of RR mainstay and explosive wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson to prepare for a life post-MS Dhoni in the IPL, with him offering both keeping and captaincy abilities.

The surprising thing was that Sanju moved to CSK for Rs 18 crore, the same fee at which he was retained by the Men in Pink last year; however, Jadeja’s fee was revised to Rs 14 crores, four crores less than the price at which the five-time champions had retained him ahead of the last season.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Aakash wondered if Jadeja took a pay cut because he felt done with CSK, and what incentive caused him to leave the Yellow franchise.

“RR have got Jadeja, but he has taken a pay cut. I am thinking he left CSK by taking a pay cut? Without a player’s consent, you cannot change their price. He has taken 4 crores less to leave Chennai, and that is mind-boggling. Why does someone take a pay cut? 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.”

On the other hand, Jadeja, who represented RR from 2008-09 and was a part of the title-winning team in the league’s first-ever edition, represented CSK from 2012 till 2025, with one season in 2011 being with now-defunct Kochi Tuskers Kerala and two seasons with Gujarat Lions when CSK was suspended from 2016-17.

Jadeja has been the leading wicket-taker for CSK in IPL history, with 143 scalps in 186 matches at an average of 28.32, with best figures of 5/16. He is also the team’s highest run-getter in IPL history, with 2,198 runs at an average of 28.54 and a strike rate of over 136, including five fifties.

He was retained for Rs 18 crore ahead of the 2025 mega auction as CSK’s second-choice player after captain Ruturaj Gaikwad. The all-rounder has played 254 IPL matches, the fifth-most in tournament history.

Jadeja’s most memorable moment came in the 2023 IPL final, when his last-over heroics against the Gujarat Titans sealed the title for CSK. It was also his best bowling season, taking 20 wickets, followed by another solid batting performance in 2025, where he scored 301 runs with two fifties at an average of 33.54 and a strike rate of 135.58.

Jadeja has also captured three IPL titles with the Yellow franchise in 2018, 2021 and 2023, playing a significant role in the team’s triumphs. (ANI)