"He will wake up at 5PM and will be all sleepy during meeting" - Sanju Samson reveals RR teammate's hilarious behaviour during IPL 

Rajasthan Royals (RR) captain Sanju Samson revealed his teammate Shimron Hetmyer's quirks during the Indian Premier League (IPL) campaign. He recalled how the Caribbean explosive batter used to wake up mere hours before an evening contest during the competition, and manage to win matches for the side.

Shimron Hetmyer has garnered an infamous reputation regarding his discipline over the years. He was left out of the West Indies' squad for the 2022 T20 World Cup after he missed the team flight to Australia.

Samson noted how Hetmyer used to be sleepy and out of focus during the team meetings as well. However, the skipper noted that he did not judge or question the southpaw's methods as he still found a way to deliver as a finisher.

"Before I was a captain, I was a player, that time it was only about my ways. I'm like I need to do these things, these kinds of practices. I need to score runs at these kind of patterns and that is how success is made. Then I suddenly met someone like a Shimron Hetmyer, we all know him very nicely. I used to sleep at like 10 or 12, wake up in the morning, train with my trainer and all those things," Samson said in an interview with R Ashwin.

"But this guy, the match is at 8 PM, he will wake up at 5PM, and be all sleepy during team meetings and all. Then he will score the most important runs for the team, and win them the game. So, there is a way to do like that also," he added.

Shimron Hetmyer has been part of RR since the 2022 season, shortly after Sanju Samson assumed captaincy of the franchise. The Caribbean ace also went on to be retained by the franchise for INR 11 crore after the three-year cycle in 2024. However, he had a shaky campaign in 2025, scoring only 239 runs in 13 innings at a strike rate of 145.73.

"Captaincy has opened up my perspective" - Sanju Samson on leadership changing the way he thinks on and off the field

Sanju Samson was tasked with leading RR during a difficult phase in the franchise's history. The wicket-keeper led the team to the ninth spot in his first season in charge in 2021 with an inherited side. However, a major revamp during the 2022 mega auction, meant that the skipper was able to implement his vision, and guide the team to the finals, their first since the inaugural season in 2008.

"Captaincy has opened up my perspective and helped me to accept these kind of ways. There is no one way of succeeding in cricket. I don't believe that there is only one way. When people are trying different things, I like to back them instead of questioning them," Samson said.

He has led RR in 67 matches in the IPL across five seasons. He has 33 wins as captain to his name, equally balanced by 33 losses as well.