Indian batter Sanju Samson etched his name in Rajasthan Royals (RR) history on Saturday, surpassing the late Shane Warne to become the franchise’s most successful IPL captain.
The milestone came during RR’s commanding 50-run win over Punjab Kings (PBKS) at Mullanpur, marking Samson’s 32nd victory in 62 matches as skipper. Warne, who led RR from 2008-11, had notched 31 wins in 55 games, a record Samson now eclipses.
Sanju Samson – the most successful skipper for Rajasthan Royals! 🩷
The wicketkeeper now holds the record for most wins as RR captain, surpassing the legendary Shane Warne! 👏#IPL2025 #SanjuSamson #ShaneWarne #RR #Sportskeeda pic.twitter.com/25wpgA8sLg
— Sportskeeda (@Sportskeeda) April 5, 2025
Since taking the helm in 2021, Samson has guided RR to a runners-up finish in 2022 against Gujarat Titans and a playoff spot 2024. His latest triumph saw RR post 205/4 after PBKS opted to bowl. A blazing 89-run stand between Yashasvi Jaiswal (67 off 45, 3 fours, 5 sixes) and Samson (38 off 26, 6 fours) set the tone, with Riyan Parag (43* off 25, 3 fours, 3 sixes) and Shimron Hetmyer (20 off 12, 2 fours, 1 six) finishing strong. PBKS’ Lockie Ferguson led the bowling with 2/37, while Arshdeep Singh and Marco Jansen took one each.
Sanju Samson now holds the record for most wins as Rajasthan Royals captain 🩷#IPL2025 #SanjuSamson #RajasthanRoyals #CricketTwitter pic.twitter.com/5rTUI0KxER
— InsideSport (@InsideSportIND) April 5, 2025
Chasing 206, PBKS stumbled to 43/4, courtesy of Jofra Archer’s fiery 3/25. A spirited 88-run stand between Nehal Wadhera (62 off 41, 5 fours, 3 sixes) and Glenn Maxwell (30 off 21, 3 fours, 1 six) revived hopes, but their exits sparked a collapse. Sandeep Sharma (2/21) and Maheesh Theekshana (2/26) sealed the deal, bowling PBKS out for 155/9.
Samson’s record-breaking night cements his legacy as RR’s top captain, blending flair and leadership.