IPL 2022 auction: 3 reasons why RR should retain Sanju Samson

Rajasthan Royals (RR) captain Sanju Samson has been one of their star performers in the last couple of editions of the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Samson, who made his IPL debut for the Royals in 2013, went to Delhi Daredevils (now known as Delhi Capitals) in 2016 before coming back to his base in 2018. He has been at the heart of the Royals side since then and was appointed captain ahead of the IPL 2021 season.

Rajasthan were missing some of their biggest stars in 2021, and while Samson failed to take them to glory, he did display some exemplary skills with the bat. With a mega-auction looming large ahead of next season, the Rajasthan Royals face the tough question of whether they should retain the 27-year-old.

On that note, let's take a look at 3 reasons why RR should retain Sanju Samson.

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#3. Consistent run-scoring ability

While there might be speculation about Sanju Samson's place in the national side, there is no doubt about his ability while donning the Rajasthan Royals jersey.

Every time he has gone out to bat for his franchise, Samson has shown signs of winning the game. The wicket-keeper batsman has scored over 300 runs in each of the last four IPL editions. Samson finished with 484 runs under his belt in IPL 2021 at an average of 40.33, including a century.

He is also the second-highest run-scorer in the franchise's history after Ajinkya Rahane, with 2391 runs from 93 games.

A tested option, Sanju Samson provides some much-needed firepower at the top-order and so would be a good bet.

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#2. A safe pair of hands behind the wicket

Besides his batting, Sanju Samson is also very safe behind the wicket. He can grab those acrobatic catches and is very sharp with his reflexes behind the stumps.

Samson has the most dismissals among Rajasthan Royals wicket-keepers. He has 45 dismissals under his belt, leading the second-best Dishant Yagnik (17) by a fair margin.

He is also very fast and swift at the boundary when he is not wicket-keeping. Rajasthan would be keen to have an impact player like Sanju Samson who can contribute to two departments.

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#1. A tested captain

Besides having quality batters and bowlers, it is important to have a leader who understands his troops and leads them from the front.

Sanju Samson was handed over the reins from Steve Smith ahead of the IPL 2021. By doing so, the franchise gave a clear indication that they want an Indian cricketer to take the side forward.

Having worked with the current think tank and being aware of their strategy and vision, Sanju Samson fits the bill perfectly. RR will be keen to retain the services of an able captain like Samson, who has a clear mind.