Why will Riyan Parag captain Rajasthan Royals for the first three IPL matches? Is Sanju Samson injured?

Riyan Parag to step up as captain for the Rajasthan Royals' first three IPL games, as Sanju Samson recovers from a finger injury.

Why will Riyan Parag captain Rajasthan Royals for the first three IPL matches? Is Sanju Samson injured?

Riyan Parag has been named as the stand-in Rajasthan Royals skipper for the first three IPL matches, owing to Sanju Samson's injury. (via NDTV)

Riyan Parag has been named as the stand-in captain of the Rajasthan Royals, for the team’s first three matches in the upcoming IPL season. He will be leading the side, with regular captain Sanju Samson expected to play only as a substitute due to a finger injury.

Sanju Samson sustained an injury in his right index finger off Jofra Archer‘s delivery, during India’s home T20I series against England, earlier this year. The wicket-keeper batter underwent surgery for the same last month, and has made some massive strides in recovering from it. He spent a month at the BCCI’s Center of Excellence, before arriving at the Rajasthan Royals camp ahead of the new IPL season.

YouTube video

The 30-year-old opener has however, received partial green light from the National Cricket Academy (NCA) to feature in the initial stages of the IPL. Sanju Samson had reportedly complained of discomfort while carrying out his wicket-keeping duties. As a result of it, the NCA has only cleared the player to bat in the first three matches of the new IPL season. He will then undergo a fitness test, to make a full return.

Samson’s availability for Rajasthan Royals’ first three matches remains in doubt, with sources indicating that the player might only bat, as an Impact Sub. While informing his teammates about his injury issues in a meeting, Sanju Samson surprisingly named Riyan Parag as the captain for RR’s first three IPL games this summer. He also expressed great confidence in the young all-rounder’s leadership abilities.

I’m not completely fit for three or more games. I think there are a lot of leaders from this group… But for the three games, Riyan [Parag] will be leading. He is well capable to do it and I expect everyone to support him.

Sanju Samson on Riyan Parag (H/T ESPN Cricinfo)

It will be Riyan Parag’s first stint as captain of an IPL team, and he will become the fifth youngest player to lead a team in the competition’s history. Rajasthan Royals have shown deep trust in the 23-year-old all-rounder, who has remained a part of the team’s setup since 2019. Parag was retained by the franchise for a whopping INR 14 crores, ahead of the 2025 IPL Mega auction.

The former India under-19 star does have a lot of experience, having already demonstrated his leadership skills as Assam’s domestic captain. Between 2021 and 2023, Parag led the Assam team to 10 wins out of 17 matches in T20s. Parag’s numbers in the IPL last season also make him a formidable choice. The 23-year-old finished with 573 runs last season, putting him third on the list of leading run-scorers.

Riyan Parag will be leading RR in its opening match against SRH on March 23. He will then captain the side at a familiar venue, as the team plays two home games, against KKR and CSK in Guwahati, Assam. Meanwhile, Dhruv Jurel is expected to keep the wickets, in Sanju Samson’s absence.

Rajasthan Royals’ predicted playing XI for IPL opener, without captain Sanju Samson

Rajasthan Royals’ skipper Sanju Samson will only feature as an Impact Sub, in the team’s first three matches of the 2025 IPL season. With their regular captain out injured, the team will be fielding a changed lineup against the Sunrisers Hyderabad, away from home.

Rajasthan Royals XI Sanju Samson
Rajasthan Royals are expected to field a changed starting XI, in the absence of regular skipper Sanju Samson for their first this IPL matches this season. (via X)

RR will play their first match this season at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium in Hyderabad, a ground which has been a good one for batters. Yashasvi Jaiswal will open the batting for RR, alongside impact sub Sanju Samson. At number 3, RR could send in veteran Nitish Rana, followed by stand-in skipper Riyan Parag. Parag will be followed by the team’s explosive finishers, Dhruv Jurel and Shimron Hetmeyer.

Meanwhile, the bowling attack will be spearheaded by Sri Lankan spinners Wanindu Hasaranga and Maheesh Theekshana. Englishman Jofra Archer, making his IPL return after four years, will be leading Rajasthan’s pace attack. He will be joined by Sandeep Sharma, Tushar Deshpande and Akash Madhwal.