After clearing a fitness test, Sanju Samson, the captain of the Rajasthan Royals (RR), is expected to return to the playing XI for their IPL 2025 match against the Punjab Kings (PBKS) on Sunday, May 18, at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur. Due to a side injury, the 30-year-old batsman-wicketkeeper had missed RR’s previous five games.
Before the season started, Samson was already dealing with a finger issue that limited him to playing as a hitter. In RR’s seventh game of the season, he scored a fast 31 off 19 deliveries against the Delhi Capitals, but as he attempted to regain his form and fitness, he was forced to retire injured. Since then, the Royals have only secured one victory without Sanju Samson, and with just three wins in 12 games, they are currently wallowing in second-last place on the points table.
Sanju Samson talked candidly about the difficulties of watching from the sidelines prior to the pivotal match.
“I’m available for the game because I passed my fitness test. ‘Frustrating’ is a word that I believe is appropriate. Watching the games from the dugout has proven to be really tough and challenging. It was made more difficult by the fact that I missed many important games. Seeing the team lose and being unable to play on the pitch was very taxing. However, these things are a part of playing cricket. During the pre-game press conference, Sanju Samson stated, “I’m trying to take it in stride and focus on the positives.”
With the return of the Trivandrum native, Riyan Parag, who filled in as captain and is fresh off a 95-run performance against the Kolkata Knight Riders, will also return to his senior’s leadership role. In the meantime, RR’s bowling team has struggled this season, with the league’s lowest average (52.1), and will be missing injured pacers Jofra Archer and Sandeep Sharma.
In addition, Punjab Kings, led by Shreyas Iyer, enter this game with 15 points and are aiming for a top-two finish. PBKS is the overwhelming favourite because two victories from their final three games will guarantee playoff qualification. One of the most potent combinations this season has been created by their uncapped Indian openers, Prabhsimran Singh and Priyansh Arya. However, Punjab may give Mitchell Owen or Kyle Jamieson their debuts since international players like Josh Inglis and Marcus Stoinis are not available.
India
