Rajasthan Royals’ regular skipper Sanju Samson has made a significant move towards resuming his full duties in the IPL 2025 season. Following a surgery on his right index finger, Samson visited the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE) to seek clearance for wicket-keeping, a role he has been unable to perform due to his injury.
Initially, Samson received only partial and provisional approval to participate in the IPL as a batter. In his absence from the wicket-keeping duties, Dhruv Jurel has been behind the stumps, while Riyan Parag took over the captaincy for the first three matches of the season. Samson, limited to batting, has played as an Impact Player, contributing 66 runs against Sunrisers Hyderabad, 13 runs against Kolkata Knight Riders, and 20 runs against Chennai Super Kings.
According to a report by Cricbuzz, Samson is set to undergo a thorough evaluation by the Sport Science division at the CoE. The aim is to secure full clearance to resume his wicket-keeping responsibilities and, subsequently, reclaim the captaincy of Rajasthan Royals. A source quoted by Cricbuzz mentioned, “He will seek clearance for the remaining games and is expected to return as skipper from RR’s next match, which is nearly a week away.”
Rajasthan Royals have experienced a mixed start to their IPL 2025 campaign, with losses in their first two matches before securing a victory against Chennai Super Kings in Guwahati on Sunday night. The team’s upcoming schedule includes an away game against Punjab Kings on April 5, followed by a match against Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad on April 9. They will then return to their home base in Jaipur to face Royal Challengers Bangalore on April 13.
As Samson works towards full recovery and clearance, the cricketing world watches eagerly to see if he can lead Rajasthan Royals to a successful season, both as a captain and a wicket-keeper.