Rajasthan Royals have appointed Riyan Parag as their captain for the first three matches of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025. Regular skipper Sanju Samson is still recovering from a finger fracture and has yet to receive clearance from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). “Sanju will be playing our first three games as a batter, with Riyan stepping up to lead the boys in these matches,” read a statement shared by the Royals on social media. According to the official release, while Samson will remain part of the playing XI, he will not take on wicketkeeping or fielding duties until he is fully fit. "Sanju Samson, an integral part of the Royals set-up, will remain a key contributor with the bat till he gets cleared for wicket-keeping and fielding. He will return as captain once fully fit," the statement read. šŖ Update: Sanju will be playing our first three games as a batter, with Riyan stepping up to lead the boys in these matches! š pic.twitter.com/FyHTmBp1F5 — Rajasthan Royals (@rajasthanroyals) March 20, 2025 'There are a lot of leaders in this group': Sanju Samson During the announcement of Riyan Parag’s temporary captaincy, Sanju Samson stressed the presence of multiple leaders in the squad and expressed confidence in Parag’s ability to lead. "I am not completely fit for the next three games. There are a lot of leaders in this group. In the last few years, some great people have taken care of this environment really nicely. For the next three games, Riyan will lead the team," Samson said. He further added: "He is capable of doing it. I expect everyone to support him and be with him." Sanju Samson sustained the injury during the home T20I series against England when he was struck on the fingers by a sharp bouncer from England pacer Jofra Archer. Following surgery, he joined the Rajasthan Royals camp in Jaipur on March 18 as he continued his rehabilitation. Also Read: Mohammad Kaif on Hardik Pandya: 'He was mentally tortured' With Samson unavailable for wicketkeeping duties, Dhruv Jurel is expected to don the gloves for the team’s opening fixtures. Rajasthan Royals will kick off their IPL 2025 campaign against Sunrisers Hyderabad on March 23.