Rajasthan Royals head coach Kumar Sangakkara has questioned Sam Curran’s choice to step away from the ongoing IPL, saying it was hard to reconcile an injury layoff claim with the England allrounder turning out for Surrey in the T20 Blast. Curran had been expected to play a major role for RR after arriving from Chennai Super Kings through a trade that also involved Ravindra Jadeja, but his IPL participation changed after he reported a groin problem following the T20 World Cup.
Curran’s Surrey appearances spark Sangakkara’s doubts
Curran ultimately withdrew from the IPL after the groin injury, and Rajasthan moved to replace him with Dasun Shanaka. The Sri Lankan allrounder went on to feature only seven times for the Royals across the campaign, including the second qualifier that Rajasthan lost on Friday, May 29.
After that defeat, Sangakkara said he was disappointed to see Curran playing for Surrey while the IPL was still in progress. He noted that the team had been informed that Curran’s injury was season-ending, but questioned what that meant given his recent games for Surrey.
“We were told that Sam Curran had a season-ending injury,” Sangakkara said. “But I think I saw him playing for Surrey for two or three games now. So that was disappointing. We would have loved to have had him here playing for us. But I think (it was good) having Dasun Shanaka as a replacement when we were told early.”
Role at Surrey and Curran’s IPL numbers
Curran has captained Surrey in each of his three games so far, and he is also leading the tournament run charts at the time of writing despite not having bowled yet. The situation has kept his IPL future as a talking point, especially because he had previously suggested he didn’t have a firm return date.
A couple of months earlier, Curran had told the media that his comeback would depend on how the injury progressed. He said the issue had been worsening gradually and that scans confirmed damage, forcing him into a difficult decision that left him disappointed to miss the IPL.
“It’s an injury that I’ve kind of been battling with a little bit,” Curran had said. “It has gradually got fractionally worse. I went for a couple of scans and it showed reasonable damage, so I had to make the tough decision. It was hindering me quite a bit. To miss the IPL was very disappointing, and now I guess I just have rehab block of trying to get strong and fit for whenever it feels right. It will be tough to watch the IPL because I know that I’d like to have been there, but injuries are part of sport.”
BCCI policy welcomed on player withdrawal rules
While there is no fresh word yet on how Curran’s situation might affect his IPL prospects, Sangakkara backed the BCCI’s approach to players who pull out after being selected in the auction. He described the policy as “tight” and said it must remain firm, particularly to ensure that contractual commitments are honoured.
Sangakkara also stressed that injuries are a normal part of sport, and that serious, season-ending problems should be understood. At the same time, he pointed to the many overseas players who arrived with the intention to contribute but often had to wait for their chances during most of the season.
Quick facts
- Kumar Sangakkara questioned Sam Curran’s IPL withdrawal after Curran played for Surrey in the T20 Blast.
- Curran was expected to be a key RR player after moving from Chennai Super Kings in a trade that included Ravindra Jadeja.
- Curran pulled out of the IPL after the T20 World Cup due to a groin injury; RR replaced him with Dasun Shanaka.
- Dasun Shanaka played seven times for Rajasthan, including the second qualifier they lost on Friday, May 29.
- Sangakkara said he was told Curran had a season-ending injury, but felt disappointed seeing him play for Surrey for two or three games.
- Curran has captained Surrey in all three games so far and is the top run-scorer in the tournament at the time mentioned, though he hasn’t bowled yet.
- Curran previously said there was no set timeframe for his return, describing the injury as gradually worsening after scans.
- Sangakkara welcomed the BCCI’s strict policy on bans for players withdrawing after being picked in the auction.
“I think a proper tight policy around that is always a requirement,” Sangakkara said. “And the BCCI has a strict policy on that. Every person goes through injuries. And if it’s a serious injury, a season-ending injury, of course we understand. We’ve had quite a few injuries.”
He added that Rajasthan have also seen overseas players come in and spend much of the season without much game time. Sangakkara cited Adam Milne, Shimron Hetmyer, Lhuan-dre Pretorius and Kwena Maphaka as examples of players who worked hard with the group even when they weren’t featuring regularly.
“We’ve also had players like Adam Milne, (Shimron) Hetmyer, quite a few who’ve come here, and not had much of a game,” he said. “Lhuan-dre Pretorius is another. Kwena Maphaka is another one. They’ve been here. They’ve done the hard yards, they’ve practised, they’ve carried water for the team. And they’ve really worked as hard as anyone else to support the team on this journey.”
Sangakkara concluded by reiterating that the decision to attend ultimately rests with the individual player, but argued that strict rules are needed so contractual obligations are met properly. He said he expects the league to benefit if the policy stays firm.
“So, I mean, it’s really up to that individual player to decide whether they want to come or not. But I think the BCCI policy around it is very strict now. And that’s the way it should continue to be very strict. To make sure that contractual obligations are met properly and genuinely. And I think every side in the IPL will benefit from that.”
