Rajasthan Royals’ regular skipper Sanju Samson has reached the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE) to seek full clearance for wicket-keeping duties. Following surgery on his right index finger, he had previously received only partial and provisional approval to play in IPL 2025.
In his absence as captain, Riyan Parag led the team in the first three matches, with Samson featuring solely as a batter while Dhruv Jurel took charge behind the stumps.
According to a Cricbuzz report, Samson will undergo an evaluation by the Sport Science division at CoE as he pushes for a return to full wicket-keeping duties.
If cleared, he will also reclaim the captaincy.
Due to his restricted clearance, Samson has played as an Impact Player in RR’s first three games, with Parag overseeing leadership duties.
So far, he has contributed purely with the bat, scoring 66 runs against Sunrisers Hyderabad, 13 runs against Kolkata Knight Riders, and 20 runs against Chennai Super Kings.
A source quoted by Cricbuzz stated, “He will seek clearance for the remaining games and is expected to return as skipper from RR’s next match, which is nearly a week away.”
Rajasthan Royals have had a mixed start to their IPL 2025 campaign, suffering defeats in their first two matches before registering their first victory against Chennai Super Kings in Guwahati on Sunday night.
Rajasthan Royals’ upcoming schedule includes an away clash against Punjab Kings on April 5, followed by a fixture against Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad on April 9.
They will then return to their home base in Jaipur for a showdown against RCB on April 13.
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