IPL 2025: Sanju Samson gives his RR captaincy to this young player ahead of IPL 18
Rajasthan Royals (RR) will be having a new captain for the first three games of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025. Regular captain Sanju Samson has handed over his captaincy to Riyan Parag as he is yet to gain his full fitness, having suffered a finger injury.
The IPL 2025 is just around the corner and the major development in the Rajasthan Royals camp has taken place. Sanju Samson, who faced a finger injury during the T20I series against England, hasn't recovered fully and hence won't be taking complete part in the first three games.
Sanju Samson, who recently joined the Rajasthan Royals, got the fitness clearance from NCA just for his batting. However, he is still unfit to keep, and hence, it is expected that he might be playing the first three games of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 as an impact player only.
Sanju Samson himself, during the team meeting, mentioned that he is yet to attain full fitness and he won't be leading Rajasthan Royals for the three games. He stressed that he will be playing as a pure batter and Riyan Parag will be leading the team.
Riyan Parag will be leading Rajasthan Royals in the game against Sunrisers Hyderabad, Kolkata Knight Riders and Chennai Super Kings in IPL 2025
This means that Riyan Parag will be leading Rajasthan Royals in the game against Sunrisers Hyderabad, Kolkata Knight Riders and Chennai Super Kings. It will be a massive opportunity for the young batter to showcase his leadership skills and put his case forward for the future.
Riyan Parag has been an integral part of Rajasthan Royals for the last few years. However, he was used as a finisher by the franchise, which didn't reflect his potential. But he was made to bat in the middle over in the last season, and he didn't disappoint as he slammed around 500 runs.
Riyan Parag will be a vital cog in the wheel for Rajasthan Royals in the IPL 2025. He had a staggering outing in the practice game as he played a brutal innings of 144 runs off just 64 balls. It remains to be seen if he handles the pressure of leadership well or not.
Rajasthan Royals will be playing their first game of the IPL 2025 against Sunrisers Hyderabad. The match will be played at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad on Sunday (23rd March).