IPL 2025: How Sanju Samson powered Rajasthan Royals's retention strategy
What's the story
Rajasthan Royals's head coach Rahul Dravid has revealed that team captain Sanju Samson was instrumental in the side's retention strategy for the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL). Samson, who is also the wicketkeeper-batter for the team, was their first choice for retention. The franchise has retained six players, including Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel, Riyan Parag, Shimron Hetmyer, and Sandeep Sharma.
Strategic involvement
Dravid highlights Samson's contribution to retention decisions
Emphasizing on Samson's involvement in the decision-making process, Dravid said he was their top pick. He was also involved in their decision process. He also explained that "There is definitely a stability when you retain six players." Dravid further praised Samson for his balanced views and understanding of the dynamics involved in player retention.
Season outlook
Dravid discusses expectations for upcoming IPL season
Looking forward to the next season, Dravid said he hopes the team does well. "For the next season, the expectation will be that we qualify and win," he said. Dravid, the former Indian captain, admitted there are very good teams in IPL and spoke about changes to the Right To Match (RTM) card rules. This, he thinks, will make teams more flexible in the mega auction.
Player departures
Rajasthan Royals part ways with several players
The franchise has also released a number of star players including Jos Buttler, Ravichandran Ashwin, and Yuzvendra Chahal into the auction pool. Teams are allowed to retain a maximum of six players. They have an overall budget of ₹120 crore going into the mega auction. Notably, RR retained senior pacer Sandeep Sharma under the 'uncapped' player rule, which made a comeback.