Rajasthan Royals' Strange Decision: Sanju Samson to Play, But Not as Captain in Initial Matches of IPL 2025

In a surprising move, Rajasthan Royals have announced that Sanju Samson will be part of the squad for the first three matches of the upcoming 2025 IPL season. However, he will not be leading the team during these matches. Instead, Riyan Parag will take over the captaincy duties for Rajasthan Royals during this period.

Sanju Samson, despite being named in the squad, will only play as an impact player in these opening matches. He will only bat and will not take on wicketkeeping or fielding roles. The decision comes as Samson is still recovering from an injury and is not fully match-fit for the tournament. Once he regains full fitness, he will return to his captaincy role.

Due to his fitness status, Sanju Samson will be allowed to bat in the initial matches, but he will not be involved in wicketkeeping duties. This means he will not be in the captaincy role either. As a result, Riyan Parag will take charge of leading Rajasthan Royals in the first three games of the season, including matches against Sunrisers Hyderabad, Kolkata Knight Riders, and Chennai Super Kings.

Rajasthan Royals confirmed the decision in an official statement, which read: "Sanju Samson is an integral part of the Rajasthan team. He is ready to assist the team as a batter until he is cleared to take on wicketkeeping and fielding duties. Once fully fit, Sanju will return to lead the side."

In these initial matches, fans will only see Sanju Samson contributing with the bat, and his presence behind the stumps and in the field will be missed until he fully recovers.