Young all-rounder Riyan Parag has been appointed Rajasthan Royals’ (RR) stand-in captain for the 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 play as a specialist batter until he is fully cleared for wicketkeeping and fielding duties.
Samson’s Road to Recovery
Samson joined the RR squad on Monday after completing his rehabilitation at the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru. While he is expected to feature in RR’s first games, he might be used as an Impact Player until he regains full fitness. Dhruv Jurel is the likely wicketkeeping replacement, having previously stepped in for Samson in India’s fifth T20I against England in February after Samson sustained a finger injury from a Jofra Archer delivery.
RR confirmed that Samson will return as captain once he is fully fit. Speaking about the transition, Samson expressed confidence in Parag’s leadership:
“I’m not completely fit for three or more games,” Samson said in a video posted by RR. “There are a lot of leaders in this group. Over the years, we have had great people taking care of the team environment. For these three games, Riyan will be leading, and he is well capable of doing it. I expect everyone to support him.”
Riyan Parag’s Leadership Opportunity
This marks the first time Parag will captain an IPL team. The 23-year-old all-rounder has been part of RR since 2019 and was retained for a whopping ₹14 crore ahead of last year’s mega auction. In IPL 2024, he was RR’s leading run-scorer with 573 runs, ranking third overall in the tournament. His performances earned him a T20I and ODI debut for India.
RR’s statement emphasized their faith in Parag’s leadership skills, which he has showcased as Assam’s domestic captain.
“Rajasthan Royals’ decision to hand Riyan the captaincy underscores the franchise’s confidence in his leadership. Having been a crucial member of the Royals setup, his understanding of the team’s dynamic makes him well-equipped to step into this role.”
Parag’s Captaincy Record & IPL 2025 Fixtures
Parag has previous T20 captaincy experience, leading Assam to 10 wins in 17 matches between 2021 and 2023, while averaging 67.09 and striking at 167.72.
His first challenge as RR captain will be:
- March 23: vs Sunrisers Hyderabad (Away)
- March 26: vs Kolkata Knight Riders (Home, Guwahati)
- March 30: vs Chennai Super Kings (Home, Guwahati)
As RR begins their IPL 2025 campaign, all eyes will be on Parag’s leadership and how the team adapts until Sanju Samson returns to full fitness.
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