Last year was an incredible season for Sanju Samson and the Rajasthan Royals. They made it to the final of IPL 2022, something they hadn’t achieved since 2008 but ultimately lost by seven wickets. The pressure is now on to replicate that performance this year, and Samson understands the need to do so. He acknowledged that although their showing last year was magnificent, it is important to keep pushing for greater success.
At the launch of the franchise’s new jersey, Samson remembered his time with the Royals, which began when he joined them as a teenager. The Kerala star acknowledged that the team must replicate their success from the previous season and work towards achieving the same result.
“I joined Rajasthan Royals when I was just 18. Now I’m 28, and it’s been a remarkable journey so far. The last ten years have been thoroughly exciting and challenging. This is my team, and I always want to see RR doing well. The pressure of matching last year’s show will always be there. It was a dream performance by the entire team to reach the summit clash in 2022. Having reached the final last year, people will be expecting us to dazzle yet again. We have no choice but to play well and match last year’s feat if not doing better.”
Sanju Samson
Jos Buttler, the recipient of last year’s Orange Cap, will significantly impact their chances once again. His pairing with Yashasvi Jaiswal up at the top was essential for their voyage to the finals.
We are blessed to have Sangakkara as our coach – Samson
The contributions of Kumar Sangakkara to the team have been integral in their growth and improvement as a unit. Samson stated:
“We are fortunate to have Sangakkara as our coach. He is a legendary player and having him in the dressing room and on the ground while practicing is a big boost for us. With his vast experience, we are always in the process of improving ourselves. He is constantly thinking of different strategies for the benefit of the squad.”
RR will open its campaign against the SunRisers Hyderabad on April 2nd in IPL 2023.