'In one of the formats in India team, he could very easily be the captain': AB de Villiers

AB de Villiers, former captain of the South African cricket team, has praised Sanju Samson, the current captain of the Rajasthan Royals (RR), calling him a "wonderful captain." De Villiers believes that Samson possesses all the necessary qualities to lead the Indian cricket team in any of the three formats.

"Sanju Samson is an incredible player and got all the credentials to be a wonderful captain. Who knows? In one of the formats in the India team, he could very easily be the captain there," De Villiers said. 

Under Samson's captaincy, RR has won 16 out of 33 games, giving him a win percentage of 48.48. He led the team to the final of IPL 2022, but they were defeated by the Gujarat Titans. Samson will now aim to lead RR to their second IPL title in the ongoing 2023 season. He will also be an integral part of the team with the bat given his batting performances for the franchise over the past few seasons. 

Also Read: 'It Was Important For Us': Sanju Samson Reveals Why R Ashwin Came In Ahead Of Jos Buttler

RR won their first game of the season against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) by 72 runs but lost their second game against the Punjab Kings (PBKS) by five runs. Apart from IPL, Samson also led India A to a 3-0 victory against New Zealand A in an unofficial three-match ODI series last year.

Also Read: RR Vs SRH: Jos Buttler Races Courtesy Of His 50 Ahead Of Shane Watson In Unique List

RR, led by Samson, will play against Delhi Capitals (DC) led by David Warner at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati on Saturday, April 8, in the ongoing IPL 2023. The Jaipur-based franchise will be eager to bounce back with a win in their upcoming match. Rajasthan Royals are currently ranked No. 4 on the points table with one win in two matches. Gujarat Titans, Punjab Kings, and Kolkata Knight Riders hold the top three spots. 

Rajasthan Royals Team 2023: Full squad

Sanju Samson (c), Ravichandran Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, Devdutt Padikkal, Dhruv Jurel, KC Cariappa, Kuldeep Sen, Kuldip Yadav, Navdeep Saini, Prasidh Krishna, Riyan Parag, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Jos Buttler, Obed McCoy, Shimron Hetmyer, Trent Boult, Jason Holder, Adam Zampa, Donovan Ferreira, K.M. Asif, Murugan Ashwin, Akash Vashisht, Abdul P A, Kunal Rathore, Joe Root.

Image: BCCI