Samson set for big IPL sacrifice for Dhruv Jurel, keeps youngster's Test future in mind: 'Where he is at his career...'
Rajasthan Royals captain Sanju Samson reveals that he will share the wicketkeeping duties with Dhruv Jurel in the upcoming IPL 2025 season.
Rajasthan Royals are known not to tinker much with their playing style and starting XIs. Under Sanju Samson's leadership, the franchise has become a consistent unit. Despite not winning the title recently, the Royals have reached the playoffs. Ahead of the 2025 edition, skipper Samson has revealed that he will share the wicketkeeping duties with Dhruv Jurel in the upcoming season.
While speaking to AB de Villiers, Samson revealed that he has had discussions with the management, head coach Rahul Dravid and Jurel. The Royals captain said everyone understands that Jurel is a wicketkeeping option for India in Tests. Hence, he needs to don the gloves in the IPL as well.
"I have not said this on air. As I said before, we feel for the players. I think we feel Dhruv Jurel, where he is at his career, he is a Test wicketkeeper. He also needs to wear the gloves in the IPL at some point," Sanju Samson said while speaking to AB de Villiers on the latter's YouTube channel.
"That was discussed; we will be sharing gloves; we both will be sharing gloves. I have not captained much as a fielder, but I told him honestly ‘Dhruv, I totally understand from where you come from and what I think about you as a leader, you should keep in some games.’ We will see how to play around with that. Nothing should affect the team; the team comes first," he added.
This would be the first time in the last few years that Samson will leave wicketkeeping duty and lead the side from somewhere else on the field.
Samson's remarkable form in 2024
Ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction, Rajasthan Royals had retained both Samson and Jurel. The latter was retained for INR 14 crore.
Samson finally showed the world what he could do in the shortest format for India, scoring three centuries in the last five T20Is for the senior men's side.
His first T20I century came against Bangladesh in October 2024, and he then backed it up with two more centuries against South Africa —one in Durban and the other in Johannesburg.
Speaking of Dhruv Jurel, he is currently a part of India's Test squad for the ongoing five-match Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia.
Dhruv Jurel made a smashing debut for India earlier this year as he played a game-changing innings against England in Ranchi. In the four Tests he has played so far, the 23-year-old has scored 202 runs.