IPL 2025: Sanju Samson Gets Fitness Clearance, Set to Captain Rajasthan Royals
Sanju Samson has cleared his fitness test and will return as Rajasthan Royals' captain and wicketkeeper in their next match against Punjab Kings.
Rajasthan Royals have received a major boost as their captain, Sanju Samson, has been cleared to take full charge of the team. He will return as a wicketkeeper and leader after passing the final fitness tests at the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru.
Samson had suffered a fracture on his right index finger, which required surgery. He traveled to Bengaluru from Guwahati earlier this week to seek medical clearance. A BCCI official confirmed that he had successfully cleared the final fitness tests at the National Cricket Academy.
With this clearance, Samson will lead Rajasthan Royals in their next match against Punjab Kings on April 5 at Mullanpur. This will be the first time he takes full charge of the team in IPL 2025. Earlier, he had received only partial clearance for the first three matches.
He was allowed to bat but was not permitted to field or keep wickets. As a result, Rajasthan Royals played him as an Impact Player, while all-rounder Riyan Parag captained the team in his absence. Wicketkeeping duties were handled by Dhruv Jurel.
Despite playing only as a batter, Samson has contributed to the team’s efforts with scores of 66 against Sunrisers Hyderabad, 13 against Kolkata Knight Riders, and 20 against Chennai Super Kings. Rajasthan Royals had a difficult start to the season, losing their first two matches.
However, they managed to secure their first win against Chennai Super Kings in Guwahati. With their captain now fully fit, the team will be hoping to put up strong performances in the upcoming matches.
