'He has played beautifully and I am happy' - Shane Bond heaps praise on Sanju Samson

In the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 season, Sanju Samson's leadership has been the main reason behind Rajasthan Royals (RR) success so far. With eight wins out of ten games, the Royals find themselves sitting comfortably in second place on the points table.

The driving force behind Rajasthan's remarkable campaign this season has been the brilliance of their captain, Samson. Not only has he marshalled his troops, but his contributions with the bat have been nothing short of extraordinary. Scoring 385 runs in just 10 matches, Samson has led from the front. RR's fast bowling coach, Shane Bond, heaped praise for Samson's captaincy. The former Kiwi pacer also congratulated Samson for being selected in India's squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup.

"I am impressed coming into this team for the first time. It's been fantastic, he (Samson) is a fun guy. I think what he has been learning for a couple of years is managing his time, managing his energy. IPL is an energy-sapping competition, especially the backend and it's exciting to see his leadership. He has played beautifully and I am happy that he has been selected in the T20 World Cup squad," Bond said in the pre-match press conference.

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We only lost 2 games in the tournament, we are a tough team to beat: Bond

However, Sanju Samson's brilliance has been complemented by a formidable team effort. The Royals boast a batting lineup that has consistently delivered, with Yashasvi Jaiswal, Jos Buttler, and Riyan Parag all surpassing the 300-run mark. Furthermore, the explosive power hitters, Shimron Hetmyer and Rovman Powell, coupled with the promising talent of Dhruv Jurel, have provided the Royals with a depth that few teams can match.

"We only lost 2 games in the tournament so we understand we are a tough team to beat. Credit to the boys, they played beautifully throughout the tournament," Bond concluded.

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Notably, the inaugural edition champions of the competition are aiming to regain the trophy after a 17-year drought. In the 2022 edition, they reached the final but fell short, finishing as runners-up after losing to the Gujarat Titans.