Sanju Samson is set to lead Rajasthan Royals in the upcoming 14th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) after now ex-skipper Steve Smith was shown the door ahead of the mini-auction.
The side has retained 17 players which includes a good mix of Indian and international players. Apart from Smith, the Royals have released seven players including Ankit Rajpoot, Oshane Thomas, Varun Aaron and Tom Curran.
The foreign list of retained players includes Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler, and Jofra Archer. All three English players performed well for the Royals in the last tournament and have been good contributors to the team in the past three years.
MVP Jofra Archer, was the top wicket-taker for the Royals in 2020 with twenty wickets, while Buttler and Stokes have been vital contributors in the Royals' important wins in the recent past. In addition to the English trio, David Miller and Andrew Tye have been retained too.
The Royals' new captain, Sanju Samson spoke on his appointment and the new challenge that awaits him in the coming season: "It's an absolute honour to have been announced as the captain of Rajasthan Royals. It's a team that is so close to my heart, which I've been lucky enough to play for over the years, and I'm excited about the challenge that lies ahead of me as the leader of the team. The Royals have had some wonderful captains over the years and I'm so grateful for all the time I've spent working with and learning from great leaders like Rahul Dravid, Shane Watson, Ajinkya Rahane and Steve Smith!! I now cannot wait to get started and look forward to the season ahead."