Big boost! Sanju Samson fully ready to snatch RR captaincy away from Riyan Parag

Rajasthan Royals (RR) full-time captain and wicket-keeper Sanju Samson has received clearance for wicket-keeping from the BCCI's Centre of Excellence (CoE). The Kerala-born cricketer is set to play as wicketkeeper and captain in the upcoming matches of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season.

Sanju Samson injured his finger during the home T20I series against England and had to undergo surgery. The RR captain underwent surgery on his right index finger and was only given limited clearance to play in the IPL 2025 season. He participated as a specialist batter in the first three games.

Also Read: Sanju Samson leaves Rajasthan Royals just after their first win in IPL 2025

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Sanju Samson Set to Resume Captaincy and Wicketkeeping Duties

Times of India journalist Gaurav Gupta stated that the Rajasthan Royals have received a major boost as Sanju Samson has been cleared to resume his role as captain and wicketkeeper. The BCCI's Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru has granted him full clearance to take on his dual responsibilities.

"Yes, he has cleared the final fitness tests at the NCA," a reliable source in the BCCI told TOI.

"#breaking In a big boost for the Rajasthan Royals, India's T20 'keeper-bat and opener Sanju Samson is set to resume his captaincy and wicketkeeping duties after being cleared by the Board of Control for Cricket in India's (BCCI) Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru," Gaurav Gupta wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter).

#breaking In a big boost for the Rajasthan Royals, India's T20 'keeper-bat and opener Sanju Samson is set to resume his captaincy and wicketkeeping duties after being cleared by the Board of Control for Cricket in India's (BCCI) Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru.

— Gaurav Gupta (@toi_gauravG) April 2, 2025

Riyan Parag Has Led Rajasthan Royals to One Win in Three Matches

Riyan Parag took charge as Rajasthan Royals’ stand-in captain, while Dhruv Jurel handled wicketkeeping duties. Samson impressed with a half-century (66) against Sunrisers Hyderabad, but it came in a losing cause. He scored 13 runs against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and 20 against Chennai Super Kings (CSK).

After a tough start with back-to-back losses, the inaugural IPL champions bounced back with their first victory of the season against CSK in Guwahati. Samson has yet to take the field as a wicketkeeper so far. He is set to take over the wicketkeeping role from Dhruv Jurel in their upcoming matches of the tournament.

Sanju Samson Set to Captain Rajasthan Royals for 5th Consecutive Season

Sanju Samson has become the 14th player in IPL history to surpass 4,500 career runs. The 30-year-old, who debuted in 2013, has played 171 matches and reached the milestone in his 166th inning.

Samson started his IPL journey with Rajasthan Royals in 2013. He spent two seasons with Delhi Capitals (2016-2017). He later returned to RR, where he has been leading the franchise since 2021.

Under his captaincy, RR finished seventh in 2021, reached the final in 2022 but lost to Gujarat Titans, and missed the playoffs in 2023. They were knocked out in Qualifier 2 by SunRisers Hyderabad in 2024.

Samson has captained RR in 61 matches, securing 31 wins, 29 losses, and one no-result. He will look to make a strong impact as captain in the IPL 2025.

Also Read: Watch: Kumar Kartikeya gets up mid interview and leaves his team Rajasthan Royals