Riyan Parag to Lead RR in Initial IPL 2025 Games as Samson Recovers

Rajasthan Royals (RR) will begin their journey in the 18th season of IPL on Sunday, Mar. 23. The team’s first opponent will be SH (an away game), followed by clashes against KKR and CSK at home on Mar. 26 and 30, respectively. Riyan Parag will captain RR for these three games.

Reason for Change of Skipper

It is reported that Parag will serve as the temporary skipper of RR at the start of the IPL season, as permanent captain Sanju Samson is recovering from a finger injury. Therefore, the latter will play as a batter for now, and his return to captaincy, wicketkeeping, and fielding duties should not be expected until his full recovery.

Samson underwent surgery on the injured finger in February this year. He joined RR on Monday and told the franchise press office that he does not feel fully physically ready yet. That said, the player is confident that the team has plenty of leaders to lead the team. Sanju expressed confidence that Parag could fulfill his captaincy duties and that the entire team would support him properly.

Historic Experience 

For Parag, the following three RR clashes will mark his first experience as captain in the IPL. He is the fifth youngest to lead a team in this tournament. Riyan has been playing for his team since 2019, and it retained him in 2024 by paying 14 crore ahead of the mega auction. The player racked up 573 runs in the 2024 season, the most in RR and third overall in the league.