Riyan Parag will step in as the stand-in captain for Rajasthan Royals (RR) in their first three matches of IPL 2025, as regular skipper Sanju Samson continues his recovery from a finger injury. Samson, who recently underwent finger surgery, will initially play as a specialist batter until he receives clearance to resume wicketkeeping and fielding duties.
After completing his rehabilitation at the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, Samson rejoined the RR squad on Monday. For the time being, he is expected to feature as an Impact Player, with Dhruv Jurel likely to take on wicketkeeping responsibilities. Notably, Jurel had also stepped in for Samson during the fifth T20I against England in February, after the RR captain suffered a blow from Jofra Archer while batting. Once fully fit, Samson will reclaim his leadership role, as confirmed by an official RR statement.
Speaking about the decision, Samson shared his thoughts in a video posted on RR’s Instagram handle:
“I’m not completely fit for three or more games. But we have a lot of leaders in this group, and Riyan is more than capable of leading the team. I expect everyone to support him.”
Samson is recovering from a right index finger injury, sustained during India’s home T20I series against England. The wicketkeeper-batter underwent surgery and has been progressing well in his rehab. However, while his batting fitness has improved significantly, he is still experiencing discomfort while keeping wickets.
Despite missing the initial matches as captain, Samson will represent RR at the IPL captains’ meeting in Mumbai. According to a report last week, he was expected to receive only partial clearance for the tournament due to his ongoing wicketkeeping fitness tests. Now, the latest update from the RR camp confirms that Samson will need to undergo another fitness test at the NCA after the team’s third match to determine when he can resume full duties behind the stumps.
For Parag, this marks a milestone moment—his debut as an IPL captain. At just 23 years old, he will become the fifth-youngest captain in IPL history. The franchise’s faith in him stems from his experience as Assam’s domestic captain, as well as his stellar performance in IPL 2024, where he was RR’s leading run-scorer with 573 runs, including four half-centuries. His performances also earned him a call-up to India’s T20I and ODI squads.
Rajasthan Royals emphasized their trust in Parag’s leadership in an official statement:
“Riyan’s appointment reflects our belief in his leadership abilities, something he has consistently demonstrated as Assam’s captain. His deep understanding of the Royals’ team dynamics makes him the ideal choice to lead in the initial phase of the tournament.”
Parag’s captaincy stint begins with RR’s season opener against Sunrisers Hyderabad on March 23, followed by home games in Guwahati against Kolkata Knight Riders on March 26 and Chennai Super Kings on March 30. With a strong track record in domestic T20 cricket, where he won 10 out of 17 matches as Assam’s captain, Parag is ready to take on the challenge of leading Rajasthan Royals on the IPL stage.