Sanju Samson to Reclaim Captaincy as Riyan Parag's Stint Ends at Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2025

In a significant turn of events, Sanju Samson will resume his role as the captain of Rajasthan Royals (RR) for IPL 2025 after a brief stint of Riyan Parag leading the side. The change follows the clearance of Samson by the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru, which has allowed him to return to wicketkeeping duties.

SAMSON SET TO LEAD RAJASTHAN ROYALS AGAIN

Sanju Samson's return to full-time captaincy comes ahead of Rajasthan Royals' upcoming match against Punjab Kings in Chandigarh on Saturday. Samson, who had been recovering from a finger injury sustained during the home T20I series against England earlier this year, was initially unable to take up his wicketkeeping role at the start of IPL 2025. As a result, Riyan Parag was named the interim captain for the opening matches.

During the first three games, Samson participated as an impact substitute, contributing with the bat, while Dhruv Jurel took over wicketkeeping duties in his absence.

On Wednesday, the NCA confirmed that Samson had fully recovered and was cleared to resume his wicketkeeping role. Following this development, the Rajasthan Royals' official statement revealed that Samson would reassume the captaincy starting from the match against Punjab Kings.

RAJASTHAN ROYALS' STATEMENT ON SAMSON'S RETURN

A media release from Rajasthan Royals said, “Rajasthan Royals captain Sanju Samson has received clearance from the National Cricket Academy (NCA) to resume wicketkeeping duties after a successful recovery period. The decision comes following a detailed fitness assessment by the NCA medical team.”

The statement further added, "With this positive development, Samson will return as the team's captain and will lead the side in their next match against Punjab Kings. The franchise is pleased with Samson's recovery and looks forward to his leadership both behind the stumps and on the field."

RIYAN PARAG'S LEADERSHIP TENURE

Riyan Parag’s time as the interim captain of Rajasthan Royals was marked by mixed results. The team had a challenging start to the IPL 2025 season, losing their opening match to Sunrisers Hyderabad in a high-scoring affair, followed by a defeat against defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders in Guwahati.

However, Parag's leadership was praised after Rajasthan Royals made a strong comeback, securing a much-needed victory against Chennai Super Kings in their final game at the Barsapara Stadium. Despite the team's early struggles, Parag's captaincy was recognized for helping them bounce back into the competition.

With Sanju Samson’s return to full fitness, Rajasthan Royals will hope to build on this momentum and improve their standing in the tournament as they head into the next phase of IPL 2025.