Rajasthan Royals (RR) have officially confirmed that Riyan Parag will captain the team for the first three matches of IPL 2025. The announcement was made on Thursday, March 20, 2025. With regular captain Sanju Samson unavailable, Parag will take on the leadership role as RR kicks off their campaign.
Rajasthan Royals’ full-time captain Sanju Samson has not been cleared by the NCA (National Cricket Academy) for wicketkeeping but has received clearance for batting only. As a result, he will be available as a batter and could feature as an Impact Player in the first three matches of IPL 2025.
In Samson’s absence as a wicketkeeper, Riyan Parag will lead RR for the first three matches until Samson is fully fit to resume captaincy and wicketkeeping duties.
List of Top 5 Youngest Captains in IPL History
| Player | Team | Age |
|---|---|---|
| Virat Kohli | RCB | 22 years, 4 months and 6 days |
| Steve Smith | PWI | 22 years, 11 months and 9 days |
| Shreyas Iyer | DC | 23 years, 3 months and 21 days |
| Suresh Raina | CSK | 23 years, 3 months and 22 days |
| Riyan Parag | RR | 23 years, 4 months and 10 days |
Riyan Parag has been named Rajasthan Royals’ youngest captain at just 23 years old.
Rajasthan Royals First Three Matches:
- March 23 – vs Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in Hyderabad
- March 26 – vs Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in Guwahati
- March 30 – vs Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in Guwahati
Rajasthan Royals Full schedule analysis
Sanju Samson’s Message on Rajasthan Royals Social Media Handles:
“I’m yet to be fully fit for the next three games.”
“There are many leaders in this team. Over the last few years, there have been some great people who have taken care of this environment really nicely. For the next three games, Riyan will be leading the team. I expect everyone to support him and be with him.”
Sanju Samson will be available as a batter only and Impact Player for the first three matches, while Riyan Parag takes over as Rajasthan Royals’ captain.
