IPL 2025: Sanju Samson set to miss Rajasthan Royals’ clash against Gujarat Titans

Dubai: Rajasthan Royals’ playoff hopes are hanging by a thread, with five straight losses leaving them teetering on the edge of elimination in Indian Premier League Season 18. The situation worsened as talismanic skipper Sanju Samson was ruled out of Monday’s crucial clash at home against Gujarat Titans, marking the third consecutive match he’ll miss due to injury.

This injury setback comes at a time when Rajasthan’s fortunes have taken a dramatic turn. After a promising start under Riyan Parag, the Royals registered their first win of the season, narrowly defeating Chennai Super Kings by six runs, followed by a dominant 50-run victory over Punjab Kings. But their momentum stalled following a heavy defeat to Gujarat Titans, and any hopes of a quick revenge in Monday’s match were dashed with Samson’s absence.

Though Samson’s batting impact has been somewhat offset by 14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi, who impressed in the last two games, the absence of the veteran’s leadership was felt in their recent loss to Royal Challengers Bangalore. Rajasthan, in a commanding position, faltered and lost a match they had seemingly under control.

Before his injury, Samson had played seven IPL matches, scoring 224 runs at an average of 37.33 and a strike rate of 140.

Bowling coach Shane Bond, although acknowledging the team’s slim playoff chances, remains focused on building for the future.

“We’re probably out of the tournament, but that doesn’t mean there’s not a lot to play for,” Bond told ESPNcricinfo.

“We want to make sure we finish the season strong and continue playing well,” he added.

The Royals have struggled in the chase, with three of their five losses coming in games where they were in control. In two of those losses, they needed just nine runs off the final over, while another required 18 runs off 12 balls with two set batters at the crease.

“The last three games, perhaps we should have chased and won. We’ve played pretty well over the last three games; we just haven’t won a couple of key moments. And so that’s why we’re sitting at the rear end of the table, where perhaps we could have sat somewhere more in the middle,” Bond explained.

With Samson still recovering from his injury, Riyan Parag will continue to lead the side.

“No, I don’t see him taking up the role on a permanent basis,” Bond said. “Obviously, we’ve lost our captain, which has hurt us a little bit. We’re a pretty young team. We’re an inexperienced team. Riyan — I know he’s been around the IPL for a while, but he’s pretty young to come in and lead the team. He’s actually done a really good job. We’re really happy with what he’s doing,” he added.

“For us, I suppose the upside is you’ve got someone else who’s gained a little bit more leadership experience for next year as well. I think when Sanju’s on the field, he’s been excellent. We’ll go into next season with two people who have that captaincy experience, and I think that’s going to be good for the team in the long term,” Bond concluded.