Rajasthan Royals have announced that young all-rounder Riyan Parag will captain the team for their first three matches in the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season.
The Royals took to their official social media handles to confirm the announcement, as they shared the video of Sanju announcing Parag as the skipper in a team meeting.
Regular skipper Sanju Samson, who is yet to receive clearance to keep wickets following finger surgery, will play as a specialist batter and serve as an Impact Substitute during this period.
“Update: Sanju will be playing our first three games as a batter, with Riyan stepping up to lead the boys in these matches!” the Royals wrote on X.
Addressing the team, Samson said, "I'm yet to be fully fit for the next three games. There are many leaders in this team. Over the last few years, there have been some great people who have taken care of this environment really nicely. For the next three games, Riyan will be leading the team. I expect everyone to support him and be with him."
Samson suffered fracture on his finger by a Jofra Archer delivery during the T20I against England in Mumbai, following which he had to undergo a minor surgery.
He subsequently underwent minor surgery and is still in the recovery phase.
In Samson’s absence, Dhruv Jurel will most likely be performing the wicketkeeper duties in the first three matches for the Royals.
Parag’s captaincy stint will begin with the team’s opening match against Sunrisers Hyderabad on March 23, followed by home games against Kolkata Knight Riders on March 26 and Chennai Super Kings on March 30.
This will be the first time Riyan Parag will lead the Royals since beginning his IPL career with the same franchise in 2019.
After struggling with consistency in his first five seasons, the Assam cricketer bounced back impressively last year, scoring 573 runs in 16 matches at a strike rate of nearly 150.