"Sanju Samson is this team's life" - Ajay Jadeja on Rajasthan Royals' potential retentions ahead of IPL 2025 auction

Ajay Jadeja reckons the Rajasthan Royals' (RR) preferred four retentions ahead of the IPL 2025 auction should be Sanju Samson, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ravichandran Ashwin and Yuzvendra Chahal. He noted that RR skipper Samson is the team's life.

The Royals finished third in IPL 2024. They defeated the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the Eliminator before losing to the SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) in Qualifier 2.

During a discussion on Colors Cineplex, Jadeja named Samson and Jaiswal as Rajasthan Royals' certain retentions ahead of the auction.

"There shouldn't be too much change there (in RR). Sanju Samson is this team's life, there is no doubt about that. You won't want to leave Jaiswal. So these two are absolutely certain for me," he said.

The former India captain opined that the inaugural IPL champions should also retain Ashwin and Chahal, with Jos Buttler as an overseas retention option.

"How can you leave Ravichandran Ashwin? He has shown a revival in his career as well if you see the last three-year cycle. So I won't leave him as well. I didn't understand how RCB left Chahal. I am going with players, not about the amount at the moment. You won't want to leave these four but Jos Buttler is also another player," Jadeja observed.

Samson amassed 531 runs at an average of 48.27 and a strike rate of 153.46 in 15 innings in IPL 2024. Jaiswal aggregated 435 runs at an average of 31.07 and a strike rate of 155.91 in his 15 hits.

Chahal picked up 18 wickets at an economy rate of 9.41 in 15 innings this season. Ashwin accounted for nine dismissals at an economy rate of 8.49 in 14 innings.

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"I won't take his name in the first five" - Ajay Jadeja on Riyan Parag as Rajasthan Royals' potential retention

Riyan Parag was the Rajasthan Royals' highest run-scorer in IPL 2024. [P/C: iplt20.com]

In the same discussion, Ajay Jadeja was further asked whether the Rajasthan Royals would look to retain Riyan Parag.

"Riyan Parag, pardon me, he shouldn't get angry. I won't take his name in the first five, although he is this team's No. 1 today and for the future. However, if you are keeping only four, I will go towards them (Samson, Jaiswal, Ashwin and Chahal), which they won't do. There is no doubt that they will go towards Riyan Parag because he has also been an integral part of their team," he responded.

The cricketer-turned-commentator opined that the Rajasthan Royals might look to retain Parag ahead of Ravichandran Ashwin but added that he wouldn't go that route.

"He has been prepared as a player here. When that emotion comes, you look differently, that someone has become old and might not last three years, and can be picked in the auction, but according to me, just like we say Jasprit Bumrah is rare, similarly if Ravichandran Ashwin is not in the mood where he wants to bowl everything, the way he bowls and bats regularly, and the intelligence he has, he is next to Jasprit Bumrah for me," Jadeja explained.

Parag amassed 573 runs at an average of 52.09 and a strike rate of 149.21 in 14 innings in IPL 2024. He was the third-highest run-getter this season, behind only Virat Kohli (741) and Ruturaj Gaikwad (583).