Still not over it: Sanju Samson on releasing close friend Buttler ahead of auction

New Delhi: Rajasthan Royals captain Sanju Samson is still not over Jos Buttler no longer being part of the team, and if he had his way, he would do away with the rule of releasing players in the IPL.

Samson and Buttler opened batting for Royals for seven years but they did not retain the Englishman ahead of the mega auction last year.

Buttler will play for Gujarat Titans in the upcoming IPL.

"The IPL gives you the opportunity to lead a team and play at the highest level, and it also allows you to build close friendships," Samson told Jiostar.

"Jos Buttler is one of my closest friends. We played together for seven years. During this time, our batting partnership time itself is so long that we got to know each other so well.

"He has been like an elder brother to me. Whenever I had a doubt, I would talk to him. When I became captain [in 2021], he was my vice-captain and helped me become a good captain." Samson said letting go of Buttler was one of the hardest decision he has had to make. Royals had retained six players, including Samson, Yashavi Jaiswal, Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel, Shimron Hetmyer and Sandeep Sharma.

"Letting him go has been one of the most challenging decisions for me. During the England series, I told him over dinner that I was still not over it. If I could change one thing in the IPL, I would change the rule of releasing players every three years," he said.

"While it has its positives, on a personal level, you lose that connect, that relation you built over years. He was a part of the family. What more can I say?" While Buttler will not be around in Royals dugout, Samson is happy about reuniting with head coach Rahul Dravid.

"Rahul sir was the one who spotted me from the trials. He came up to me and said, 'Can you play for my team?' From there to now, with me being the captain of the franchise and he coming back - I'm very grateful, as we all are in the franchise, to have Rahul sir back," he said.

"I have played under him [at RR] as a player when he was the captain and I have played under him in the Indian team when he was the coach. But a captain-coach relationship is very special and I'm very much looking forward to learning a lot from him.

"He is a top-notch professional and makes sure everything is done properly. I was with him last month in Nagpur at RR's sports academy. From morning ten o'clock till evening five o'clock, he was standing in the heat, watching the batsmen bat and the bowlers bowl, interacting with them, discussing with the coaches. He is absolutely involved in each and everything." Royals signed 13-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi at the auction and that attracted a lot of attention.

Samson said the teenager is ready for the big leap.

"He looks very confident. He was sitting sixes out of the ground in the academy. So what else can I do? I think it's all about understanding his strength, backing it and being around as an elder brother.

"He looks ready. I think it's all about keeping him in the best shape and in a relaxed environment, which RR is known for, and then back him. You never know, in a couple of years he might end up playing for India as well."