Sanju Samson's Rajasthan Royals will be without Jos Buttler in IPL 2025 as he was released ahead of the mega auction. Gujarat Titans roped in Buttler for a whopping 15.75 crores.
Buttler was key to RR's success between 2018 to 2024. He played 83 matches for the franchise and scored 3055 runs at an average of 41.84 and a strike rate of 147.79. Buttler was not one of the six players retained by the Royals ahead of the mega auction.
Buttler who recently led England in the ICC Champions Trophy stepped down from captaincy after his team's performance in the ICC event here they did not make it to the knockouts and lost to Australia and Afghanistan to bow out of the tournament.
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Letting Him Go Was One Of The Most Challenging Decisions For Me- Sanju Samson On Jos Buttler
Sanju Samson who is the skipper of the franchise said that letting Jos Buttler go ahead of the mega auction was one of the "one of the most challenging decisions" for him. He also spoke about the relationship he had built over time with the former England skipper.
"Letting him go has been one of the most challenging decisions for me. During the England series, I told him over dinner that I was still not over it. If I could change one thing in the IPL, I would change the rule of releasing players every three years. While it has its positives, on a personal level, you lose that connect, that relation you built over years. He was a part of the family. What more can I say" said Samson.
He further revealed having a word with the now-former Royals player during the India vs England T20I series. Samson said that if he could he would remove the rule of franchises releasing players after every three years in the IPL.
"The IPL gives you the opportunity to lead a team and play at the highest level, and it also allows you to build close friendships. Jos Buttler is one of my closest friends. We played together for seven years. During this time, our batting partnership time itself is so long that we got to know each other so well. He has been like an elder brother to me. Whenever I had a doubt, I would talk to him. When I became captain [in 2021], he was my vice-captain and helped me become a good captain" Samson told JioStar.
Rajasthan Royals who were inaugural champions of the IPL kick off their IPL 2025 campaign against Sunrisers Hyderabad on March 23 in Hyderabad. They last reached the IPL final in 2022 losing out to Gujarat Titans.
Also Read: IPL 2025: Fixtures, Venues, and Where to Watch Live
