{"id":287359,"date":"2025-04-22T05:49:08","date_gmt":"2025-04-22T05:49:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/2025\/04\/22\/sanju-samsons-absence-captaincy-gamble-haunt-rajasthan-royals-ipl-2025-campaign-cricket-news-the-times-of-india\/"},"modified":"2025-04-22T05:49:09","modified_gmt":"2025-04-22T05:49:09","slug":"sanju-samsons-absence-captaincy-gamble-haunt-rajasthan-royals-ipl-2025-campaign-cricket-news-the-times-of-india","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/2025\/04\/22\/sanju-samsons-absence-captaincy-gamble-haunt-rajasthan-royals-ipl-2025-campaign-cricket-news-the-times-of-india\/","title":{"rendered":"Sanju Samson\u2019s absence, captaincy gamble haunt Rajasthan Royals\u2019 IPL 2025 campaign | Cricket News – The Times of India"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Sanju<\/div>


\n<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Jaipur:<\/span>Rajasthan Royals<\/a>\u2019 IPL-2025 campaign has been turbulent so far, marked by inconsistencies and missteps. In the previous three seasons, the Royals upped their game and managed to qualify for the playoffs twice, including playing the final in 2022.
This time, they have struggled to replicate that success. For one, they started the season on a wrong note. The absence of regular captain Sanju Samson for the first three matches due to a right index finger injury, sustained during a T20I against England in Feb 2025, was an early blow from which the franchise is yet to recover.<\/p>\n

Samson, a cornerstone of the Royals\u2019 setup since 2013, underwent surgery and rehabilitation at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru. Although cleared to bat, he was not permitted to keep wickets or field, reducing him to an \u2018Impact Sub\u2019 for the opening fixtures against SRH, KKR and CSK.
Samson\u2019s absence as a leader on the field exposed vulnerabilities in the team\u2019s dynamics. The decision to appoint 23-year-old Riyan Parag<\/a> as stand-in captain sparked significant debate. Riyan, who had a breakout IPL-2024 season with 573 runs, was chosen over star opener Yashasvi Jaiswal, despite the latter\u2019s rising stature in international cricket.
The decision to bypass Jaiswal for the captaincy role ignited widespread discussion. Jaiswal, retained for Rs 18 cr, has been a consistent performer for the Royals, amassing 1367 runs in the last three IPL seasons at a strike rate of 153.02, including 625 runs in 2023. There were reports India head coach Gautam Gambhir too views Jaiswal as a potential leadership candidate.
The Royals management justified the move by citing Parag\u2019s leadership experience as Assam\u2019s domestic captain, where he led the side to 10 wins in 17 T20 matches between 2021 and 2023, averaging 67.09 with a strike rate of 167.72. The team\u2019s official explanation was that \u201cthe decision to hand Riyan the captaincy underscores the franchise\u2019s confidence in his leadership, a skill he has demonstrated through his tenure as Assam\u2019s domestic captain\u201d.
However, Riyan\u2019s stint as RR captain has been underwhelming and has drawn criticism. The 23-year-old has led the Royals to only one win in four IPL matches as captain this season. Social media sentiment too has been harsh, with fans accusing the franchise of \u2018favouritism\u2019. Riyan\u2019s batting contributions too have been modest, with 212 runs so far in eight outings at a strike rate of 148.25.
There is no doubt Samson\u2019s absence as captain has exposed leadership and tactical frailties in the team. The captaincy gamble may now define their campaign. Samson being monitored, to miss RCB game Samson will miss the team\u2019s upcoming match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) as he continues his recovery process, the franchise announced on Monday.
\u201cThe team management is monitoring his progress closely and will take a game-by-game approach regarding his return to action,\u201d the franchise said. Samson suffered an abdominal injury during the match against Delhi Capitals last Wednesday at Arun Jaitley Stadium. Riyan Parag will continue to lead the side<\/p>\n


Get the latest IPL 2025<\/a> updates on Times of India<\/a>, including match schedules<\/a>, team squads<\/a>, points table<\/a> and IPL live score<\/a> for CSK<\/a>, MI<\/a>, RCB<\/a>, KKR<\/a>, SRH<\/a>, LSG<\/a>, DC<\/a>, GT<\/a>, PBKS<\/a>, and RR<\/a>. Don’t miss the list of players in the race for IPL Orange Cap<\/a> and IPL Purple cap<\/a>. <\/i><\/div>\n<\/div>\n