Sanju Samson Injury Update: RR Captain Doubtful for Crucial LSG Clash
Rajasthan Royals captain Sanju Samson’s participation in Saturday’s crucial IPL 2025 encounter against the Lucknow Super Giants hangs in the balance after sustaining an abdominal injury during their tied match against the Delhi Capitals. Head Coach Rahul Dravid confirmed the injury scare on Friday, stating that Samson experienced pain and underwent scans to ascertain the severity. “Sanju experienced a bit of pain in the abdominal area,” Dravid revealed. “He has done some scans today, so we are waiting for the results. Once we get more clarity on the severity, we’ll take a call on the next steps.” Samson’s injury occurred while attempting a cut shot off debutant Vipraj Nigam. He retired hurt after a brisk 31 off 19 balls, briefly returning to the crease before ultimately walking off. Post-match, Samson downplayed the concern, stating, “It feels alright. I was just not ready to come back and bat. We’ll observe it tomorrow and see how it is.” However, the uncertainty surrounding his availability adds to the mounting challenges faced by the Royals. This latest setback comes shortly after Samson’s return from finger surgery, which sidelined him for the initial stages of the tournament. He featured solely as a batter in the first three games, with Riyan Parag leading the side. If Samson is ruled out, Parag is expected to resume captaincy duties, and Dhruv Jurel will likely take over wicket-keeping responsibilities. The Royals have endured a turbulent start to the season, currently sitting eighth in the points table with three losses in their last four matches. Under Parag’s previous captaincy stint, RR lost to Sunrisers Hyderabad and Kolkata Knight Riders before securing a victory against Chennai Super Kings. Despite the team’s inconsistent performance, Dravid expressed confidence in the revamped squad following the mega auction, which saw the departure of key players like Jos Buttler, R Ashwin, and Yuzvendra Chahal. He highlighted the international experience of their Sri Lankan spin duo, Wanindu Hasaranga and Maheesh Theekshana, as a key strength. “Our Sri Lankan spinners are well-established internationally. Sometimes the team’s display can be inconsistent, but we’re putting in the effort. We believe this is a good team,” Dravid affirmed. He also lauded the promising opening partnership between Yashasvi Jaiswal and Samson, noting their positive contributions at the top of the order. However, Samson’s injury poses a significant threat to this burgeoning partnership. Dravid also addressed the team’s persistent struggles with death bowling, a major concern throughout the season. The Royals have leaked runs in the final overs, conceding 72 and 77 runs in the last five overs of their previous two matches. “We’ve suffered with our death bowling. The plans are solid, but the execution needs to improve. Even a 57-60 run finish is now considered normal — but we’re often going for 70-plus. That’s where we need to tighten things,” Dravid admitted. The head coach also took responsibility for the controversial decision to choose Sandeep Sharma over Jofra Archer for the Super Over against Delhi. “The decisions are made by me in consultation with Sanju and the rest of the coaching and analytics team. We trust Sandeep. He’s bowled the tough overs and we believed he was the right option for those conditions,” he explained. With Samson’s availability uncertain, Rajasthan Royals face a nervous wait for the scan results. The 2008 champions will be hoping their skipper can recover in time for Saturday’s crucial fixture against Lucknow Super Giants, as his absence could further jeopardize their already faltering campaign.
