Rajasthan Royals find themselves in a difficult position in IPL 2025, having lost their last four matches and their captain, Sanju Samson, to injury. Samson was absent during their recent defeat to the Lucknow Super Giants, having sustained an abdominal injury earlier this month during their game against the Delhi Capitals.
He has not travelled to Bengaluru
for their upcoming clash against Royal Challengers Bengaluru on Thursday, 24 April.
Head coach Rahul Dravid explained the decision to keep Samson out of the travelling squad and provided an update on the recovery timeline of the wicketkeeper-batter.
It’s been a challenging season for Samson. The Royals captain featured only as a specialist batter in the first three matches due to injury and has since missed two more mid-season games. For a team still seeking the right combination, Samson’s absence has been a significant setback.
“Sanju, I think, picked up a bit of a side issue in the game against Delhi (Capitals), and he couldn’t play the last match or this one either. He wasn’t fit, and our medical team didn’t clear him to play,” Dravid told the press in Bengaluru on Wednesday.
“So, we took the medical advice not to risk him with further travel-two more flights would’ve been a strain. We kept the physio back with him so we could treat him and try to get him back as quickly as possible. We’re monitoring his recovery on a day-to-day basis.”
WAIT AND WATCH APPROACH
Dravid admitted that it was too early to predict when Samson might return to action for the Royals.
Rajasthan face RCB in Bengaluru on Thursday before returning to Jaipur for home fixtures against Gujarat Titans (28 April) and Mumbai Indians (1 May). They will then travel to Kolkata for a match on 4 May, followed by a nine-day break.
“I don’t have a specific timeline for his return, but we’re doing everything we can. We’ve got matches coming up quickly, and then a gap after the 4th. So, we’ll just have to wait and see. As of now, he wasn’t fit for this match, and that’s why he didn’t travel to Bengaluru,” Dravid added.
Despite playing only seven matches, Samson has scored 224 runs at an average above 30 and a strike rate exceeding 140.
In his absence, Riyan Parag will continue to lead the Rajasthan Royals.
Currently languishing in 8th place with six defeats from eight matches, Rajasthan can ill afford any further slip-ups. They may need to win all of their remaining fixtures to keep their playoff hopes alive.
