Rahul Dravid Highlights Sanju Samson's Influence in Rajasthan Royals' Retention Decisions Ahead of IPL 2025
He added, “He has had balanced views on these retentions. He has taken the trouble to understand the dynamics of it, charting out the pros and cons. He has discussed a lot with us on this, and it wasn't an easy decision. We had a lot of debates, but in the end, we are happy with the team that we have and we wanted to retain as many as possible.”
The Rajasthan Royals (RR) have officially announced their retained players ahead of the IPL 2025 auction, with captain Sanju Samson leading the charge for the upcoming season. In a significant decision-making process, Samson’s insights were pivotal, especially regarding the retention of key players and the release of several notable names.
Samson, who will be entering his 11th season with the franchise, has been a formidable force since joining RR. He has accumulated an impressive 1,835 runs in 60 innings at a striking rate of 147.59, and his leadership has guided the team to the playoffs twice in the last four years, including a runner-up finish in 2022. His retention at ₹18 crore underscores his importance to the Royals' ambitions moving forward.
In addition to Samson, the squad retains promising talents like Yashasvi Jaiswal, all-rounder Riyan Parag, wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel, and explosive batsman Shimron Hetmyer, alongside seasoned pacer Sandeep Sharma. However, the retention list revealed significant omissions, particularly the release of star spinners Yuzvendra Chahal and Ravichandran Ashwin, along with the explosive batsman Jos Buttler, who had a standout season in 2024 with two centuries.
Dravid, the newly appointed head coach, emphasized the weight of Samson's influence in these decisions, acknowledging the emotional difficulty involved in parting ways with players he has built strong relationships with over the years. “Sanju had a big role to play in these retentions. He faced a lot of difficulty, too. As a captain, he has built a lot of relationships with these players. We are very sad for the players we couldn't retain, and Sanju has worked with these players for 5-6 years now,” Dravid explained after the announcement.
He added, “He has had balanced views on these retentions. He has taken the trouble to understand the dynamics of it, charting out the pros and cons. He has discussed a lot with us on this, and it wasn't an easy decision. We had a lot of debates, but in the end, we are happy with the team that we have and we wanted to retain as many as possible.”
Chahal has been a standout performer for RR, ranking as their second-highest wicket-taker in IPL 2024 with 18 wickets from 15 matches, and 21 wickets in the previous season. Ashwin, while not as prolific, played a crucial role in supporting Chahal during their time together at the Royals.
As the franchise prepares for the upcoming auction, the focus will be on building a competitive squad that can finally secure the IPL title, a goal that has eluded them thus far. With Samson at the helm and Dravid's guidance, RR aims to create a balanced and formidable team for the next chapter in their IPL journey.
