Rajasthan Royals officially break silence with a cryptic message after Sanju Samson exit rumours gain full steam

Sanju Samson's 11-year-long association with the Rajasthan Royals could be coming to an end. Social media is abuzz after news first broke out that Samson wants to part ways with RR, after being the face of the franchise. What, when, why, where and how is not known to the public yet. But as every good thing comes to an end, Samson's time with the franchise is believed to have run its course. Neither party – Samson nor RR – have gone on record to say anything about this latest development of theirs, despite Ravichandran Ashwin's best efforts. When the former Indian spinner asked him the million-dollar question, Samson casually laughed it off. But if there's one thing such rumours have taught us, it is that in nine out of the 10 cases, it's true. Samson's case could have been a rare 10th, but he chose not to prove he is most likely on his way out. Will he? Won't he? The Sanju Samson-Rajasthan Royals situation has more suspense than a Hollywood thriller.(PTI)

Having said that, Samson acknowledged the role RR has played in his life and career. Samson was a teenager when he came to the Rajasthan Royals training camp and left Rahul Dravid speechless. After all these years, Samson and RR have gone hand in hand through all the ups and downs. They came close to winning the IPL trophy in 2022 but lost to the Gujarat Titans in the final. Still, amid this roller-coaster of a ride, Samson said that the Rajasthan Royals meant the world to him, adding a fresh twist to the rumoured exit saga.

And now, wait until you hear this. The Rajasthan Royals have finally reacted to Samson's comment, breaking their silence on the matter officially. RR's X handle shared a social media card quoting Samson's remark and adding a heart emoji to it. This, honestly, could mean anything. But going by the vibe of the post and the reactions that have come with it, it does feel more like a farewell gesture than a 'let's keep it going' thing.

Samson added that he will forever be indebted to Dravid and RR owner Manoj Badale for giving him the platform from which he could soar high. As for why Samson is possibly done with the franchise, it could be anything or many things. Some believe the rise of Vaibhav Suryavanshi has something to do with it, or that the franchise is grooming Riyan Parag to be their next captain.

Sanju Samson's time with Rajasthan Royals

Since 2013, Samson has represented RR in 149 IPL matches, scoring 4027 runs at an average of 31.70 and a strike-rate of 141.24, with three centuries. He is RR's most successful captain, having led the team to 33 wins since taking over from Dravid. Last year, Samson enjoyed his best season with the Rajasthan Royals, plundering 531 runs at a solid average of 48.27.

In his debut year, Samson won the Emerging Player of the Season award. He represented the Royals from 2013 to 2015 before switching to the Delhi Capitals for two years in 2016 and 2017. In 2018, he returned to RR and has been with the franchise since.

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