Rajasthan Royals (RR) captain, Sanju Samson, has been fined Rs 24 lakh following his team’s second over-rate offence in the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL) season. This penalty comes after RR’s match against Gujarat Titans (GT) in Ahmedabad on Wednesday, where the team maintained a slow over-rate.
IPL code of conduct
As per Article 2.22 of the IPL’s Code of Conduct, the captain is fined Rs 24 lakh for the second over-rate offence of the season. In addition, players in the playing XI, including the Impact Player, will be fined Rs 6 lakh or 25% of their match fees, whichever is lower. This penalty system has been enforced to maintain the pace of play throughout the IPL season.
RR’s first offence this season was under the captaincy of Riyan Parag, with Samson playing only as an Impact Player due to a finger injury. In that game, against Chennai Super Kings (CSK), Parag was fined Rs 24 lakh for the slow over-rate.
RR’s struggles continue in IPL 2025
The fine comes on the heels of RR’s third loss in five matches, following two consecutive victories. The team is currently placed seventh on the points table, struggling to find consistency. The Ahmedabad match, which resulted in a 58-run loss to Gujarat Titans, was only Samson’s second game as full-time captain this season, after Riyan Parag had led the team in the first three games due to Samson’s injury.
While Samson’s fine marks a setback for RR, it highlights the team’s ongoing struggles this season. Despite his leadership, the team has faced issues both on and off the field. The slow over-rate penalty adds to their woes as they seek to recover from their disappointing start to the season.
Samson had led the side for the first time after his return from injury in the game against GT, but the result was far from what the team had hoped for. The fine for the slow over-rate only adds to RR’s troubles, coming after their defeat to CSK, which had also seen Riyan Parag fined earlier in the season.
Samson joins list of penalised captains in IPL 2025
Sanju Samson now joins the growing list of IPL captains who have been fined for breaching the Code of Conduct this season. He becomes the fifth captain to be penalised, following Rishabh Pant (Lucknow Super Giants), Rajat Patidar (Royal Challengers Bengaluru), and Hardik Pandya (Mumbai Indians).
Despite the fine and the loss to GT, RR’s focus will now be on making a strong recovery. They are set to face Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) on April 13, hoping to turn their season around. With just two wins and three losses so far, the team will be aiming to bounce back and improve their standing in the points table.