Will Sanju Samson Play Today’s KKR vs RR IPL 2025 Match?

Rajgeeta Yadav

Rajasthan Royals' Sanju Samson [AP Photos]Rajasthan Royals' Sanju Samson [AP Photos]

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) will take on Rajasthan Royals (RR) in a very important match of IPL 2025 at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata on Sunday, May 4. KKR really need to win this game to stay in the race for the playoffs. Right now, they are at 7th position on the points table with 4 wins, 5 losses, and 1 match that had no result. If they lose today, it will become very difficult for them to qualify for the next round.

On the other hand, RR are already out of the playoff race. They have nothing to lose now, so they will try to play fearless cricket and spoil KKR’s chances. But the big question is - 

Will Sanju Samson play today?

As of now, there’s no official update on whether Sanju Samson will play or not. He has already missed the last four matches (against LSG, RCB, GT, and MI), and it’s looking likely that he’ll miss today’s match too.

Sanju had suffered an abdominal injury, which later turned out to be a side strain, during RR’s match against DC. He had to leave the field after scoring 31 runs and hasn’t played since then.

It’s also worth noting that Sanju Samson was not seen in any of the practice or batting session videos shared by RR’s official social media account. So, unless there’s a last-minute surprise, Sanju Samson is expected to miss today's match against KKR as well.

Who Will Sanju Samson Replace If He Plays Today?

Well, if Sanju comes in, the question is, who will he replace? In the last few matches, after Samson got injured, young talent Vaibhav Suryavanshi was brought into the team. He has grabbed the opportunity with both hands. In just 4 innings, he has scored 151 runs with a strike rate of 209.72 and an average of 37.75. Looking at his current form, it’s unlikely RR would want to drop him.

Instead, Nitish Rana might be the one to sit out. The former KKR player hasn’t been in top form. Though he has added 217 runs in 11 innings, his average is only 21.70, which isn't great.

So, if Sanju Samson makes a comeback today, Nitish Rana could be the one making way for him.