Sanju Samson had sustained an injury on his finger during a T20I match against England, following which he had undergone surgery
Sanju Samson (Pic: File Pic)
Ahead of their IPL 2025 campaign, Rajasthan Royals has announced that Riyan Parag will wear the captaincy hat for the first three games while Sanju Samson will feature as a specialist batsman and impact player.
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The decision comes in the light of Samson, who is yet to get clearance to keep wickets after his finger surgery earlier this year.
Sanju Samson sustained an injury on his finger during a T20I match against England, following which he had undergone surgery.
While he has been given the green light to bat in the IPL 2025, it is understood that the team at BCCI Centre of Excellence want him to give his finger some rest before donning the gloves.
At such times, 23-year-old Riyan Parag will be leading the team for the first time. With this new role, he is set to become one of the youngest captains in the IPL after Virat Kohli.
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"Rajasthan Royals have announced that Riyan Parag will lead the team for the first three matches of IPL 2025", the Rajasthan-based team, which won the first-ever IPL title under the captaincy of Shane Warne, said in a statement.
The franchisee further added, "The young all-rounder will take charge in the opening fixture against Sunrisers Hyderabad on March 23, followed by home encounters against defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders on March 26 and five-time champions Chennai Super Kings on March 30."
Sanju Samson, one of the key players for Rajasthan Royals, will continue to contribute with the willow till the time he gets clearance for keeping the wickets and fielding.
While many may wonder about the decision, the Royals management also said why the Assam cricketer got the nod ahead of young Yashasvi Jaiswal, an international batter of repute in their ranks.
The statement said, "Rajasthan Royals' decision to hand Riyan the captaincy underscores the franchise's confidence in his leadership, a skill he has demonstrated through his tenure as Assam's domestic captain. Having been a crucial member of the Royals setup over the years, his understanding of the team's dynamic makes him well-equipped to step into this role for the initial phase of the tournament."
Rajasthan Royals will begin their IPL 2025 campaign with a match against Sunrisers Hyderabad on March 23.
(With PTI Inputs)
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