~Samson will take over the captaincy from Steve Smith for the upcoming edition of the IPL in 2021~

20 January 2021, National: Rajasthan Royals have appointed Sanju Samson as the skipper for the upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League in 2021. Sanju Samson will take over the captaincy reins from Steve Smith for the coming season.

Samson first joined the Royals in 2013 and has excelled in a variety of roles within the team ever since. Having played under captains such as Rahul Dravid, Ajinkya Rahane, and Steve Smith throughout his Royals career, Samson has learned from some of the best captains in the IPL and will this time himself be at the helm, looking to take the team forward.

The captaincy role with Rajasthan Royals would see him continue in a leadership role from the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy to the IPL, with Samson who led Kerala in the domestic T20 competition. The current Royals set up is aligned with experienced star players from around the world, who with Samson at their helm would form a strong leadership core for Rajasthan Royals and help achieve the goal in unison.

The Royals’ new captain, Sanju Samson spoke on his appointment and the new challenge that awaits him in the coming season: “It’s an absolute honour to have been announced as the captain of Rajasthan Royals. It’s a team that is so close to my heart, which I’ve been lucky enough to play for over the years, and I’m excited about the challenge that lies ahead of me as the leader of the team. The Royals have had some wonderful captains over the years and I'm so grateful for all the time I've spent working with and learning from great leaders like Rahul Dravid, Shane Watson, Ajinkya Rahane and Steve Smith!! I now cannot wait to get started and look forward to the season ahead.”

Steve took the captaincy role during the 2019 season when the team needed it the most and helped lead the group to some good results in the final phase of the season. Steve Smith has played an immense role as part of this franchise over the years and is one of the great captains of all time in all formats. Rajasthan Royals would like to thank Steve Smith for all his efforts over the years and he will always be part of the Royals Family.

Rajasthan Royals’ Lead Owner, Manoj Badale, spoke on the new captaincy appointment: “The Rajasthan Royals captaincy is a post for which we are lucky to have had so many greats of the game – Warne, Dravid, Watson, Rahane, and most recently Steve Smith. Steve has been a great player and great leader for the Royals, and we want to thank him for his contribution to the franchise.

“As the IPL has grown, the captaincy has become a year-round task, and as such strong local Indian leadership has become increasingly important. Sanju made his debut as a Royal, and it has been a joy to watch his development over the last 8 years. He is the ideal person to lead the Royals into the 2021 season."