As the team’s top scorer in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and one of the most successful captains, Sanju Samson’s story has been intertwined with that of the Rajasthan Royals for many years.
Samson made his IPL debut with the Royals in 2013 as a fresh-faced teenager when he won the Emerging Player of the Season in his maiden campaign.
Barring a couple of seasons since then, Sanju Samson has remained a constant with the Rajasthan Royals and has gone on to create an unparalleled legacy with the team over the years.
Never miss an update on Rajasthan Royals—get the latest articles, news, and more by clicking here!
Adored by the Royals’ fans, team-mates and support staff, Samson reflected on what the Royals mean to him in a recent podcast with former RR team-mate Ravichandran Ashwin.
“Rajasthan Royals has meant the world to me. A small child coming from a village in Kerala, wanting to show his talent,” an emotional Samson recalled. “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."
He credited Rajasthan Royals for their faith in him during his formative years and expressed a deep sense of gratitude for the franchise.
"That time, they trusted me throughout. The journey with Rajasthan Royals has been really great, and I’m very grateful to have been in a franchise like that. It really means a lot to me," he added.
A cornerstone of the Rajasthan Royals team, Samson has created several records with the team and is an integral part of the franchise.
The leading scorer in the Royals’ history with 4027 runs in 149 matches at an average of 31.70 and a strike rate of 141.24 in the IPL, Samson has featured in the most seasons (11) and has the most wins as a captain (33).
Overall, Samson has scored 4219 runs from 150 innings at an average of 31.96 and a strike rate of 140.53 for the Royals after factoring in Champions League Twenty20 (CLT20) games.
IPL 2024 was Samson’s best season with the bat for the Royals as he amassed 531 runs at an average of 48.27 and a strike rate of 153.46. He also led the team to the IPL final for the second time in its history in 2022.
