• Home
  • Top Most
  • Sanju Samsons Top Batting Performances For Rajasthan Royals In Ipl

Sanju Samson among IPL trade probables: Here are India batter's best knocks for Rajasthan Royals

Aakash Saini

Best of Sanju Samson in IPL [Source: @ImTanujSingh/x]Best of Sanju Samson in IPL [Source: @ImTanujSingh/x]

The ongoing trade rumours linking Sanju Samson with Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in a potential swap for legendary all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja are gaining more traction by the day. For Rajasthan Royals loyalists, however, the mere idea of losing their captain to a rival franchise seems nothing short of sacrilege.

Sanju Samson, a true Rajasthan Royals zealot, who has spent the most of his IPL career for the franchise, has carved countless memories there with his bat, be it from audacious match-winning blitzes to elegant masterclasses. Celebrating the storied IPL career of Rajasthan Royals’ true Royal Sanju Samson, here is a look at five of the best innings he has registered for them.

5. Sanju Samson 85 (42) vs Punjab Kings, Sharjah, IPL 2020

Sanju Samson muscled 85 runs from just 42 balls against Punjab Kings in match number nine of the IPL 2020 season inside a bio-bubble in Sharjah. Batting at number three, the blistering right-hander clattered four fours and seven huge sixes to make light work of Punjab Kings’ 223-run total. 

Explosive half-centuries from captain Steve Smith and IPL cult hero Rahul Tewatia eventually helped the Rajasthan Royals blaze past Punjab with three balls and four wickets to spare.

4. Sanju Samson 86 (46) vs Delhi Capitals, Delhi, IPL 2024

Chasing a monumental 222 for a win against Delhi Capitals at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi in match 56 of the IPL 2024 season, Rajasthan Royals captain Sanju Samson played a lone hand in his team’s high-octane pursuit. 

Arriving to the crease within the opening over of the run-chase, Samson bludgeoned 86 runs from 46 balls with eight fours and six cracking sixes. No other batter in the Rajasthan Royals line-up managed to go past Riyan Parag’s mere 27 that evening as the ‘Men in Pink’ could gather just 201-8 in 20 overs to fall 20 runs short of their target.

3. Sanju Samson 92* (45) vs RCB, Bengaluru, IPL 2018

Sanju Samson engineered Rajasthan Royals’ comprehensive 19-run win over the RCB in match 11 of the IPL 2018 season with a masterful 92-run knock, unbeaten no less. Facing just 45 deliveries in the innings after arriving to the crease inside the powerplay overs, Samson launched 10 of those for huge sixes at the iconic M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. 

His innings helped the visiting Rajasthan franchise mount 217-4 in 20 overs upfront before bowlers successfully kept RCB’s chase in check.

2. Sanju Samson 102* (55) vs Sunrisers Hyderabad, Hyderabad, IPL 2019

In match eight of the IPL 2019 season in Hyderabad, Sanju Samson listed the second of his three IPL hundreds, and his first for the Rajasthan Royals franchise, doing so against hosts Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). 

The cricketer belted 102 unbeaten runs from just 55 balls with 10 fours and four sixes, and shared a monumental 119-run second-wicket partnership with then captain Ajinkya Rahane. His innings, coupled with Rahane’s 70, helped Rajasthan Royals cart 198-4 in 20 overs.

Unfortunately for Sanju Samson, the Rajasthan Royals franchise lost the match by five wickets with an over to spare.

1. Sanju Samson 119 (63) vs Punjab Kings, Wankhede, IPL 2021

Sanju Samson started off his IPL 2021 campaign as Rajasthan Royals captain with a century to treasure, shattering multiple records in the process and giving Punjab Kings a scar to remember by. 

Chasing 222 for a win at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai and slipping to 25-2, Samson at number three whacked 119 runs from 63 balls with 12 fours and seven sixes against the likes of Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh and Australian international Jhye Richardson.

All set to guide Royals to a remarkable run-chase glory, the skipper fell off the very last ball of the game, at the brink of the finishing line. 

Nonetheless, Sanju Samson recorded the highest individual score for any Rajasthan Royals batter at the time, a record that now stands as the third-highest in the franchise’s history.