Amidst the ongoing rumours about his IPL future, Indian wicketkeeper Sanju Samson said he has been thankful to the Rajasthan Royals for the journey so far. Samson made his debut for the Royals as a young wicket-keeper batter in 2013 and has since captained the franchise as well. The 30-year-old has played 11 seasons for the Royals, participating in 155 matches during that time.
Samson is the highest run-getter in RR’s history with 4219 runs from 150 innings. However, recent reports have suggested that Samson handed in a transfer request ahead of the 2026 season as he wants a fresh start in the IPL. While speaking to R Ashwin on his YouTube channel, Samson said that RR means the world to him and said that the franchise provided him with a platform to perform early in his career.
“RR has meant the world to me. A small child coming from a village in Kerala, wanting to show his talent. And then Rahul (Dravid) sir and Manoj Badale sir gave me a stage to get up and show the world what I am made of,” said Samson.
The Indian wicketkeeper also said that RR trusted him from the very beginning and noted it has been a great journey with the franchise.
“That time, they trusted me throughout. The journey with RR has been really great, and I’m very grateful to have been in a franchise like that. It really means a lot to me,” said Samson.
Why Samson is looking for a move away from RR
The rumours about Samson’s exit from RR come after a dismal campaign for the former IPL champions in 2025. The Royals finished in ninth spot with Samson featuring in nine matches due to an injury. There were reports suggesting that there was a rift between Samson and head coach Rahul Dravid, which was later squashed by the latter.
According to report from Cricbuzz, Samson is reconsidering his future due to the emergence of the dynamic opening duo of Vaibhav Suryavanshi and Yashasvi Jaiswal. This means that Samson will have to bat at No.3, something he isn’t very keen about.
Samson was retained by RR ahead of the IPL 2025 season for 180 million India rupees.
- Agencies
