How much money has RR retained Sanju Samson for ahead of IPL 2025 Auction?
Team India's wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson was the Rajasthan Royals' (RR) first-choice retention ahead of the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) mega auction. The announcement was made on Thursday, October 31.
The 29-year-old has been the captain of the Rajasthan-based side since 2021. Samson's salary is set to increase by ₹4 crore after being retained by the inaugural champions for ₹18 crore. The franchise also confirmed that the wicketkeeper will continue to lead the side in the upcoming season as well.
Samson looked in impressive form in IPL 2024, finishing as his team's second-highest run-getter with 531 runs across 15 innings. Under Samson's captaincy, RR qualified for the IPL 2024 playoffs after finishing third in the points table after the league stage. However, their campaign ended with a heartbreaking 36-run loss to the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in Qualifier 2.
Sanju Samson's first stint with the Rajasthan-based side lasted from 2013 to 2015. He rejoined the team after being roped in for ₹8 crore at the IPL 2018 auction and has since been a pivotal cog in RR's lineup.
RR retained a total of six players, including Sanju Samson
The Rajasthan Royals retained a total of six players ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction. While Sanju Samson was their first-choice retention, their remaining picks were opening batter Yashasvi Jaiswal (₹18 crore), all-rounder Riyan Parag (₹14 crore), wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel (₹14 crore), left-handed batter Shimron Hetmyer (₹11 crore), and veteran pacer Sandeen Sharma (₹4 crore).
The big names released by RR include the likes of Jos Buttler, Ravichandran Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, and Trent Boult. Rajasthan won't have a Right-to-Match (RTM) option at the mega-auction, given that they have already retained the maximum number of players. They have a remaining purse of ₹41 crore.
It is worth mentioning that RR will have a new head coach for the upcoming season. India's 2024 T20 World Cup-winning coach Rahul Dravid has joined the team in a multi-year contract.