Veteran India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has called Sanju Samson’s captaincy style phenomenal ahead of the new season of the Indian Premier League. Ashwin plays under the captaincy of Samson at Rajasthan Royals.
RR will begin their campaign in IPL 2024, taking on Lucknow Super Giants at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur on March 24. Samson was named the captain of Rajasthan Royals ahead of the 2021 IPL and has led the side in the last three seasons.
Speaking to Star Sports, Ashwin said he tries to give inputs to Samson on the field, while calling the Kerala-born batter’s captaincy style phenomenal. RR finished fifth in the league stage of IPL 2023, narrowly missing out on the playoff spots.
“On the field, I try and give him inputs as I see how the game is panning out. However, that relationship off the field doesn’t come on the field. It’s generally that younger brother, elder brother sort of a relationship off it. On the field, we are able to switch off,” said Ashwin.
“I do what he wants and give my inputs and then he takes what he wants and gets on with it. I find Sanju as a young captain, he is able to differentiate, and demarcate both which is phenomenal,” Ashwin added.
He went on to say that Samson is very funny off the field, insisting that he’s completely different on and off the field. Samson has scored 3,888 runs in 152 matches in the IPL, hitting three centuries and 20 fifties. He scored 362 runs at a strike rate of 153.39 last season.
“Sanju is extremely funny off the field. I am not sure a lot of people understand that or probably know that. It’s a problem of perfection a lot of people battle how you see someone on the ground and how they are off it, it’s completely different,” Ashwin added.
Rajasthan Royals, who won the inaugural Indian Premier League, have not been able to get their hands on the trophy since then. They will open their campaign against LSG before taking on Delhi Capitals in Jaipur on March 28.
