Parag takes over as captain of the Royals

Riyan Parag has officially been named captain of Rajasthan Royals for IPL 2026, signaling a major structural shift following Sanju Samson’s transfer to Chennai Super Kings. A loyalist since his 2019 debut, Parag has played seven consecutive seasons with the franchise. He gained preliminary leadership experience last year when Samson was injured, captaining eight matches.

While the team struggled, finishing ninth with two wins, Parag excelled personally, averaging 38.57 with a high score of 95 against Kolkata Knight Riders. Career-wise, he boasts 1,566 runs from 84 matches, striking at 141.84. His peak performance came in 2024 with 573 runs, whereas last season saw him score 393 runs at a higher strike rate of 166.52. Furthermore, with Rahul Dravid exiting, Kumar Sangakkara steps in as head coach. Together, Sangakkara and Parag will steer this fresh chapter, hoping to revitalize the squad and deliver future success on the field for the team.