Rajasthan Royals are expected to name Riyan Parag as their new captain after he impressed head coach Kumar Sangakkara during the interview process. Although the franchise has not officially announced this change, team management has decided to promote Parag to replace Sanju Samson, who was traded to Chennai Super Kings ahead of the IPL 2026 auction. Yashasvi Jaiswal and Ravindra Jadeja were also considered for the role.
Jaiswal had shown interest in the captaincy a few months ago, but reports from ESPNCricinfo indicate that the franchise has chosen Parag.
Parag previously led the team during the last IPL season when Samson was sidelined due to an injury. While he did score runs, the team managed to win only 2 out of 8 matches under his captaincy.
At 24, Parag will now lead the team for the entire season, marking a significant decision for Rajasthan Royals. Despite expectations for Jadeja to take the captaincy, the team opted for continuity.
Samson’s departure concludes an 11-year tenure with the franchise, under which the team competed for playoff spots and reached the final in 2022.
As CSK acquired Samson, Rajasthan Royals has brought in Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran. Despite interest in Jadeja, Sangakkara has endorsed Parag for the captaincy, indicating a strategy to focus on a younger, dynamic player.
