Rajasthan Royals are heading into IPL 2026 with a noticeably different identity - and at the heart of that shift is the departure of Sanju Samson.
Speaking
on JioHotstar's Game Plan - Know Your Team, Faf du Plessis summed up the scale of that change, pointing to what Samson represented for the franchise over the last decade.
"If I look at the IPL and the teams, the iconic teams we see around the league, all of them have one marquee Indian player in common, someone who has been the face of the franchise for a period of time - Rohit Sharma, MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli. And Sanju Samson, for me, was that guy at Rajasthan Royals. "
For du Plessis, Samson's departure is not just a squad change - it's a cultural shift.
"If I think of Rajasthan Royals, I think Sanju Samson. So, the fact that they've lost that face, I think, is a massive thing for the fans, for the IPL, and for the tournament, because he's played such a big role there. "
Rajasthan Royals in transition
With Samson now moving on, Rajasthan Royals are entering a new phase. Riyan Parag steps in as captain, while Ravindra Jadeja returns to the franchise - moves that signal both continuity and reinvention.
But replacing a figure like Samson isn't just about leadership or runs. It's about filling the void of a player who defined the team's identity, both on and off the field.
The Yashasvi Jaiswal question
One of the biggest ripple effects of Samson's exit will be felt by Yashasvi Jaiswal. Du Plessis believes the young opener could now face a subtle but significant shift in expectations.
"The thing with Yashasvi Jaiswal is that he's had Sanju Samson, who has been such a huge, consistent performer within that batting line-up. So, when you have that consistency of runs from Sanju, it allows you to play your game. "
Without that cushion, the dynamic changes.
"Now, you take that away, all of a sudden, people will look at him with more responsibility. And for a player like him, you don't want him thinking about responsibility, you want him thinking, 'I want to take the game on. I want to hit as many sixes as possible. '"
That tension - between freedom and responsibility - could define Jaiswal's season.
"So there's a learning curve that's going to come into his career this season. 'Am I true to the game that I've always played, or do I take up the senior player role?'"
Freedom vs responsibility
Despite the added spotlight, du Plessis believes Jaiswal should resist the temptation to change too much.
"I think he'll still play in the way that he does. It would be silly not to, because he's such an attacking player. "
That, perhaps, is the larger challenge for Rajasthan Royals as a whole - balancing a new leadership structure while ensuring their core players continue to play with the same freedom that defined them.
Every IPL team, as du Plessis pointed out, builds around a face - a player who becomes synonymous with the franchise. For Rajasthan Royals, that was Sanju Samson.
Now, as they step into IPL 2026, the question isn't just who replaces him - but how the team redefines itself without him.
