Nandre Burger Replaces Injured Sandeep Sharma in IPL 2025

It’s been a tough season for Rajasthan Royals, and it just got a bit tougher with the news that Sandeep Sharma has been ruled out due to a finger injury. After playing 10 matches and picking up 9 wickets, Sandeep’s campaign comes to an early end. But in a silver lining for the Royals, South African pacer Nandre Burger has been roped in as his replacement.

This is actually familiar territory for Nandre Burger. The left-arm quick had made his IPL debut with Rajasthan Royals in the 2024 season, where he bagged seven wickets in six appearances. Now, he’s back in pink for the 2025 edition and will be hoping to make the most of this opportunity as RR gear up for their final two games of the league stage. Interestingly, Burger wasn’t the only new name added to the Royals’ squad in a single day. The franchise also signed up 19-year-old Lhuan-dre Pretorius as a replacement for the injured Nitish Rana. Clearly, RR are using these final fixtures to give game time to some fresh faces. 

Nandre Burger has joined Rajasthan Royals for a sum of Rs 3.5 crore, and with his return, fans will be hoping he brings some spark to what has otherwise been a disappointing campaign for the inaugural IPL champions. Rajasthan currently sit 9th on the table, with just three wins from 12 games. They’ve already been knocked out of playoff contention — the second team to face elimination this season — but they still have two matches left to try and finish on a high. 

First, they’ll face off against Chennai Super Kings on May 12 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium. After that, they return home to Jaipur to take on Punjab Kings on May 16 in what will be their final game of the season. While the Royals may no longer be in the hunt for the playoffs, the return of Nandre Burger adds an interesting twist. With the pressure off, fans can expect the team — and especially Burger — to go out there and play with freedom. For Nandre Burger, this is a big chance to leave a lasting impression and possibly stake a claim for future seasons. 

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