Samson had become synonymous with RR, dedicating 11 years to the franchise across two terms. Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran joined RR in the trade that facilitated his move to Chennai.
“In the IPL, the iconic teams share a common trait — each features a marquee Indian player who embodies the franchise for an extended time, like Rohit Sharma, MS Dhoni, and Virat Kohli. For me, Sanju Samson represented that identity for Rajasthan Royals,” du Plessis shared with JioHotstar.
“Although he’s from a newer generation, he had truly become the face of that franchise. When I think of Rajasthan Royals, I immediately think of Sanju Samson. Therefore, losing that figurehead is significant for the fans, the IPL, and the tournament itself, given his substantial impact,” du Plessis elaborated.
He mentioned that Samson’s exit places greater expectations on Yashasvi Jaiswal, who enjoyed the liberty to express his game alongside the former RR captain.
“Yashasvi Jaiswal has benefited from having Sanju Samson, a consistent performer in the batting lineup. With Sanju contributing steady runs, it frees you to play naturally,” du Plessis explained.
“Now that Sanju is gone, increased responsibility will fall on him. For a player like Jaiswal, you don’t want him focusing on added pressure. Instead, he should be thinking, ‘I want to take charge and hit as many sixes as I can.’
“This season will present a learning curve for him, questioning whether he should remain true to his natural game or step up as a senior player to score the majority of runs. It’ll be fascinating to see how he adapts. I believe he will maintain his aggressive style, as it would be unwise not to, given his attacking nature.”
(With PTI inputs)
