IPL 2025: Sanju Samson Steps Down As Rajasthan Royals' Captain; New Captain Appointed

Sanju Samson, the captain of the Rajasthan Royals (RR), has stepped down from leadership position for the first three matches of the upcoming IPL 2025 season. He is most likely to play as a pure batter in those matches as per a recent announcement from the franchise.

Early in February, during India's fifth and final Twenty20 International match against England, Sanju Samson injured his finger while batting. Because of the injury, he was unable to keep wickets in that game.

Sanju still recovering

After undergoing surgery, the right-handed hitter recently finished his recuperation at Bengaluru's Centre of Excellence.

For the fifth straight IPL season, Sanju Samson will lead the Rajasthan Royals as captain. The team placed sixth in 2021, the year he took up the position.

RR lost to Gujarat Titans (GT) in the IPL 2022 final. After failing to make the playoffs in 2023, they were eliminated in Qualifier 2 by SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the 2024 season.

Sanju Samson announces that Riyan Parag will captain RR in the first 3 matches of IPL 2025

The captain of the Rajasthan Royals, Sanju Samson, announced on Thursday, March 20, that he will not command the reigning champions in the Indian Premier League's opening three games (IPL 2025). Riyan Parag will be the acting captain for the three matches, according to Samson.

Sanju Samson will play those games as a pure batter, though, according to the Rajasthan Royals. Samson admits he hasn't fully recovered from a finger injury he sustained early in the season.

"I am not completely fit for the next three games. There are lot of leaders in this group. In the last few years, some great people have taken care of this environment really nicely. For the next three games, Riyan will lead the team. He is capable of doing it. I expect everyone to support him and be with him," Sanju Samson said in a video from RR.

💪 Update: Sanju will be playing our first three games as a batter, with Riyan stepping up to lead the boys in these matches! 💗 pic.twitter.com/FyHTmBp1F5

— Rajasthan Royals (@rajasthanroyals) March 20, 2025

Rajasthan retained their core group

The Rajasthan Royals kept six players, including Riyan Parag. The 23-year-old was instrumental in RR's 2024 playoff run, scoring 573 runs in 15 games. After his performances, the franchise paid him ₹14 crore to keep him.

On March 23, the Rajasthan Royals will play SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium to kick off their IPL 2025 campaign. RR will try to win and break their trophy drought this year after losing in Qualifier 2 the previous season.

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