For the first three IPL 2025 matches, Riyan Parag will captain the Rajasthan Royals. Regular captain Sanju Samson will play in the games, albeit as a pure hitter, maybe hinting at an impact player role, while the Assam batter serves as the temporary leader.
Samson made the announcement of Parag’s captaincy during a casual team talk, which was captured on camera and shared on social media by the Rajasthan Royals.
Speaking to the team, Samson stated, “I’m not yet fully fit for the next three games.”
“There are many leaders in this team. Over the last few years, there have been some great people who have taken care of this environment really nicely. For the next three games, Riyan will be leading the team. I expect everyone to support him and be with him.”
Samson is making a full recovery from the injury he received to his right index finger during the recent home Twenty20 International match against England. The wicket-keeper batsman has recovered quickly after undergoing surgery for the same reason. Samson will represent RR in the IPL captains’ meeting in Mumbai, while Parag is expected to oversee the first three games.
Prior to the Indian Premier League, Samson’s recuperation from an injury was being closely monitored. Although he had improved his fitness to a fair degree while batting, the 30-year-old had experienced obvious discomfort when taking wickets. According to the Cricbuzz report from last week, Samson was only expected to receive a partial clearance because he had not yet demonstrated his ability to pass the wicket-keeping fitness tests. According to the RR camp’s most recent report, their usual captain will have to wait until the third game is over before going to the NCA for another fitness test in order to be retained.
