As the Indian Premier League (IPL) gears up to commence on March 28, only the schedule for the first 20 matches has been unveiled, owing to state elections. This year, the Rajasthan Royals (RR) will take to the field with Riyan Parag at the helm, marking his debut as the team’s full-time captain. The franchise recently made headlines by trading their former captain, Sanju Samson, to the Chennai Super Kings (CSK).
In a recent statement, Parag emphasized that there is no true substitute for a player of Samson’s caliber. “When we think of Sanju bhaiya, we never consider replacing someone of his stature. We might look for a player with a similar skill set or someone to bat in his role, but just as there is no replacement for legends like Virat Kohli or Rohit Sharma, there is no one who can fill Sanju bhaiya’s shoes because of his exceptional talent,” he remarked.
Reflecting on the team’s approach for the upcoming season, Parag highlighted the importance of strategic planning and finishing matches—a challenge they faced in the last edition. “This year, our focus is on better planning and closing out games. Last season, we lost around 5-6 matches in the final over or even on the last ball. If we can convert those close calls into wins, the question of whether we need to try anything new would be moot, as we would have qualified for the knockouts,” he explained.
He further elaborated that making three to four pivotal decisions throughout a T20 game is crucial. “In every T20 match, there are key decisions that can alter the game’s outcome. By making those strategic choices wisely, I believe this year will be different,” the 24-year-old asserted.
The Rajasthan Royals are set to kick off their IPL 2026 campaign against the Chennai Super Kings on March 30 at the Assam Cricket Association Stadium in Guwahati.