Rajasthan Royals captain Sanju Samson opened up about the time he got his start for the franchise under the captain Rahul Dravid back in 2013. Now, in 2025, Sanju is leading the Royals while Dravid has returned at the helm as the coach of the franchise.
“It’s quite funny how things work out. In my first season, Rahul sir was the one who spotted me during the trials. He was the captain back then, looking out for young talent. After watching me, he came up to me and said, ‘Okay, can you play for my team?’ From that day to today, it feels surreal. Now, I am the captain of the franchise, and Rahul sir has returned after so many years to coach the team,” Samson said in an interaction with JioHotstar.
“It’s a unique and special feeling. He was always part of the Rajasthan Royals family, and we are all grateful to have him back. I have played under him both at Rajasthan Royals and in the Indian team when he was the coach. But now, having him as a coach while I captain the side is something truly special. I am looking forward to learning a lot from him in the coming years, and it’s really exciting,” he added.
Last year, Rajasthan Royals had announced that Rahul Dravid will be joining the franchise as a head coach after signing a multi-year contract.
Dravid’s tenure as India’s head coach ended in June after he helped the Men in Blue win the T20 World Cup, their first ICC title since the Champions trophy in 2013.
Dravid was the captain of the Royals in IPL 2012 and 2013 and then was the team director and mentor for them in the 2014 and 2015 seasons.
Meanwhile, the Royals, led by Sanju will open their IPL 2025 campaign in an away fixture against last year’s runners up Sunrisers Hyderabad on March 23.
