Sanju Samson

An easy-on-the-eye and classic batsman, Sanju Samson was named captain of the Royals ahead of the 2021 season, after first being bought by the franchise in 2013. Sanju has been the batting mainstay for the team ever since. When in full flow, he is one of the most gracious batters to watch, with the ability to effortlessly hit the ball across the ropes. In 2019, he scored the first century of the season, a sensational 102* against Sunrisers Hyderabad. Samson's prowess in the IPL got him a consistent run in India's T20I side and he was also named in the ODI squad for Australia in late 2020. The 2021 season was the best for Sanju, with 484 runs, 7 catches and 4 stumpings and a phenomenal hundred that almost took his team home in a high-scoring chase. However, the 2022 edition unravelled a different side of this otherwise mild-mannered individual. Packed with solid intent and an aggressive approach, Sanju regularly went after the bowlers right from his arrival at the crease. This new style was both entertaining and rewarding, as he finished yet another season with 400-plus runs to his name, and the Royals reached their second IPL final.