IPL 2025: Riyan Parag to Lead Rajasthan Royals in First 3 Matches With Sanju Samson Set For Impact Sub Role

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Rajasthan Royals (RR) has announced Riyan Parag will lead the side in the first three IPL 2025 matches, as regular captain Sanju Samson will be playing as a specialist batter and an Impact Substitute as he is yet to get clearance to keep wickets post finger surgery.

Samson suffered fracture on his finger off a Jofra Archer delivery earlier this year during the T20I against England in Mumbai, following which he had to undergo a minor surgery.

While he has been cleared to bat, it is understood that medical and sports science teams at the BCCI Centre of Excellence, previously the National Cricket Academy (NCA), want him to give his fingers some more rest before he starts keeping wickets.

As Samson is unlikely to keep wickets till he receives clearance from the NCA, the 23-year-old Parag will lead the side, and in doing so he will have the distinction of being one of the youngest captains in IPL after Virat Kohli.

"Rajasthan Royals have announced that Riyan Parag will lead the team for the first three matches of IPL 2025," RR said in a statement, confirming that Samson will play as an impact substitute.

"The young all-rounder will take charge in the opening fixture against Sunrisers Hyderabad on March 23, followed by home encounters against defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders on March 26 and five-time champions Chennai Super Kings on March 30," the franchise stated.

Samson, an integral part of the Royals set-up, will remain a key contributor with the bat till he gets cleared for wicket-keeping and fielding. He will return as captain once fully fit. In his absence on the field, Dhruv Jurel will keep wickets for RR.

The Royals management explained why the Assam cricketer got the nod ahead of young Yashasvi Jaiswal, an international batter of repute in their ranks.

"Rajasthan Royals' decision to hand Riyan the captaincy underscores the franchise's confidence in his leadership, a skill he has demonstrated through his tenure as Assam's domestic captain.

"Having been a crucial member of the Royals setup over the years, his understanding of the team's dynamic makes him well-equipped to step into this role for the initial phase of the tournament," the team said.

Parag recently smashed an unbeaten 144 off 64 balls in Royals' practice match that also saw Jaiswal and Jurel score a fifty and century respectively before they face SRH on Sunday (March 23).