'He Backed Me the Most' – RR star pacer credits Sanju Samson on his IPL comeback

Pacer Sandeep Sharma has revealed how Rajasthan Royals’ captain Sanju Samson was instrumental in saving and reshaping his IPL career. Sandeep was viewed primarily as a new-ball bowler, and he is thankful that Sanju supported him during his dark days and showed him the path to becoming a reliable death specialist.

Sandeep Sharma career hit a low when he went unsold in the IPL 2023 auction. For a bowler with years of experience swinging the new ball, this setback was massive. But fate gave him another chance when the Royals signed him as a replacement for injured Prasidh Krishna. It was under Samson’s captaincy that Sandeep discovered a new role and renewed purpose in the team.

In a recent interview with CricTracker, Sandeep revealed that Samson backed his death bowling skills and encouraged him to master the craft. "I think Sanju Samson backed me the most. He actually challenged me to do something that I had never done. And that is the quality of good captains, who see things in you that even you don't. He has done that. He has been really great to me," Sandeep said.

Samson’s support fuels Sandeep’s revival

The results have been clear on the field. Since joining Rajasthan Royals, Sandeep has taken 32 wickets across three seasons. "And as a captain for RR, the team has seen so much success under him. I think in the last five years, they have seen three to four good seasons. So he has been a very good captain and, at the same time, a great leader. He understands everyone; anyone who's playing under him, he takes that effort to understand that personality. And then according to that, assigning those roles is very important," he added.

In IPL 2024, Sandeep has 13 wickets in 10 innings with an average of 23.92. Similarly, in IPL 2025 , before an injury cut his season short, he claimed 9 wickets in 10 games, having consistent performances. Rajasthan Royals have shown confidence in their bowler by retaining Sandeep along with Samson ahead of the 2025 mega auction.

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Sandeep also addressed rumors about Samson’s possible trade from RR, dismissing them as unfounded. "I don't think so. They are rumors only. I think all these things go in the media one by one and after that, they start circulating. If you ask me personally, I have not been a part of that conversation. Whatever is happening, I don't know. But I think personally, they are only rumors."