News
Sports News
Cricket News
Sanju Samson joins Rajasthan Royals squad after recovering from finger surgery ahead of IPL 2025

Sanju Samson joins Rajasthan Royals squad after recovering from finger surgery ahead of IPL 2025

TOI Sports Desk / TIMESOFINDIA.COM / Mar 18, 2025, 09:11 IST

Text Size

Small
Medium
Large

Sanju Samson, Rajasthan Royals' skipper, has joined the squad after recovering from finger surgery. His participation in the first IPL match against Sunrisers Hyderabad is uncertain, with Dhruv Jurel as a backup. Riyan Parag, fit from a shoulder injury, will play. Rajasthan Royals will face Kolkata Knight Riders and Chennai Super Kings in subsequent matches.

Sanju Samson joins Rajasthan Royals squad after recovering from finger surgery ahead of IPL 2025

Sanju Samson joined the Rajasthan Royals camp after recovering from a finger injury. (Image: Rajasthan Royals/X)

Rajasthan Royals captain Sanju Samson has joined the team after recovering from finger surgery last month. The Royals will begin their IPL 2025 campaign against Sunrisers Hyderabad at Uppal Stadium on March 23.
Samson, who was rehabilitating at Bengaluru's Centre of Excellence, may not keep wickets in the opening match. Dhruv Jurel could serve as the specialist wicketkeeper if Samson is not fully fit.
Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel.
The need for surgery arose when Samson injured his finger from a Jofra Archer delivery during the fifth T20I against England in February, leading to Jurel taking over the wicketkeeping duties.

Samson had an impressive 2024 IPL season, scoring 531 runs in 15 innings at an average of 48.27 and a strike rate of 153.46. He recorded five half-centuries with a top score of 86, finishing as the fifth-highest run-scorer in the tournament.
All-rounder Riyan Parag has recovered from his shoulder injury and is expected to be in the starting lineup for Rajasthan.

After missing the T20Is against South Africa and England, Parag returned to cricket during the Ranji Trophy's second phase. He scored a half-century and bowled 26 overs for Assam against Saurashtra.
Parag was Rajasthan's leading run-scorer and the third-highest overall in the previous season. He accumulated 573 runs at an average of 52.09 and a strike rate of 149.21, including four half-centuries and a highest score of 84 not out.

His promotion to the number three batting position from the lower-middle order proved successful.
Following their opening match against SRH, Rajasthan Royals will play two consecutive home games. They will face defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders on March 26 and Chennai Super Kings on March 30 in Guwahati, their second home venue in the IPL.

Get the latest IPL 2025 updates on Times of India, including match schedules, team squads, and live scores for CSK, MI, RCB, KKR, SRH, LSG, DC, GT, PBKS, and RR. Find out how to watch IPL 2025 in Canada and the USA.

About the Author

TOI Sports Desk

The TOI Sports Desk excels in a myriad of roles that capture the essence of live sporting events and deliver compelling content to readers worldwide. From running live blogs for India and non-India cricket matches to global spectacles featuring Indian talents, like the Chess World Cup final featuring Praggnanandhaa and the Badminton World Championships semifinal featuring HS Prannoy, our live coverage extends to all mega sporting events. We extensively cover events like the Olympics, Asian Games, Cricket World Cups, FIFA World Cups, and more. The desk is also adept at writing comprehensive match reports and insightful post-match commentary, complemented by stats-based articles that provide an in-depth analysis of player performances and team dynamics. We track news wires for key stories, conduct exclusive player interviews in both text and video formats, and file content from print editions and reporters. We keep track of all viral stories, trending topics and produce our own copies on the subjects. We deliver accurate, engaging, and up-to-the-minute sports content, round the clock.

End of Article