Riyan Parag Takes Charge! Rajasthan Royals Name New Captain Amid Sanju Samson Uncertainty
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Riyan Parag has been appointed as the captain of Rajasthan Royals for the initial three matches of IPL 2025, as announced by the franchise on Thursday. This decision comes in light of Sanju Samson's choice to postpone his return to captaincy until he achieves full fitness; although he has been cleared to bat, he is still not fit to take on wicketkeeping responsibilities.
The Royals confirmed this news through their official social media platforms, sharing a video of Sanju introducing Parag as the team's captain during a meeting.
“Update: Sanju will participate in our first three games as a batter, while Riyan will take the lead in these matches!” the Royals stated.
This marks the first occasion that Riyan Parag will captain the Royals since he began his IPL career with the same franchise in 2019. The right-handed batsman from Assam faced significant challenges and received considerable criticism for his lacklustre batting performances during his initial five seasons. However, Parag made a strong comeback last year, establishing himself as one of the league's standout players.
He accumulated 573 runs in 16 matches for the franchise, boasting an impressive strike rate of nearly 150 (149.3).
Samson's injury
Regarding Samson's injury, he rejoined the Royals earlier this week after successfully recovering from finger surgery performed last month.
The 30-year-old cricketer completed his rehabilitation at the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru and participated in the Royals' first practice session on Monday in preparation for the upcoming season.
Samson sustained the injury after being hit by a bouncer from Jofra Archer during India's five-match T20I series against England. Following the injury, he underwent surgery to repair the damaged finger. In Samson's absence behind the stumps, Dhruv Jurel is expected to take on wicketkeeping responsibilities for the first three matches of the Royals.
The franchise, which claimed the IPL title in its inaugural season in 2008, will begin their campaign against Sunrisers Hyderabad in Hyderabad on March 23.
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