Rajasthan Royals skipper Sanju Samson has revealed that he is modeling his own captaincy style based on head coach Rahul Dravid’s leadership approach ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season.
Reflecting on Dravid’s influence, Samson praised the Indian cricket legend’s ability to lead by example both on and off the field.
“There is a lot to learn from him as a character,” Samson, the Royals captain for IPL 2025, said in a JioHotstar special.
Dravid captained the Rajasthan Royals when Samson made his IPL debut in 2013. It was a season that proved to be a breakthrough campaign for Samson, who was named the Emerging Player of the League after scoring 206 runs in 10 innings.
Having led India in 25 Tests and 79 ODIs with win percentages of 57.14 and 56 respectively, Dravid’s leadership credentials remain highly regarded.
Samson also credited his time learning from Dravid during the Indian legend’s initial mentorship stint with the Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2014.
“All the small instances, how he used to treat the young people, how he used to take care of the seniors, how he communicates, how he talks during meetings. All those things, I quietly observed and I feel like somewhat I do the same thing.”
The Royals captain further revealed a memorable exchange with Dravid that reinforced his desire to follow in his mentor’s footsteps.
“When he came back, he asked me, 'Sanju, what do you stand for in this franchise?' and I told him, 'Sir, it's very easy, I just continued from where you left.’”
After coaching India to the T20 World Cup 2024 title last year, Dravid returns to the Rajasthan Royals setup as their new head coach for IPL 2025.
The Royals’ first match in the upcoming season will see them face last season’s runners-up Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on March 23.
