In a significant move leading up to IPL 2026, the Rajasthan Royals (RR) have appointed Riyan Parag as their new captain. This announcement follows the trade of veteran batsman Sanju Samson to the Chennai Super Kings (CSK), in exchange for all-rounders Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran.
Samson’s tenure saw him miss eight matches last season due to injuries. During that time, Parag stepped up as the stand-in captain, guiding the team to victory in two games. The franchise expressed its excitement through a post on social media, encouraging fans to rally behind their new leader: “Royals fam, it’s time to get behind your new Captain! 💪💗”.
Parag has been a consistent presence for RR, playing in all seven seasons. His standout performance came in 2024, where he scored 573 runs, averaging 52.09 with a strike rate of 149.21. Across his time with the Royals, he has played 84 matches, amassing 1566 runs and taking 7 wickets.
Last season, Parag made history as the youngest captain to lead RR and ranked as the fifth-youngest in IPL history, following in the footsteps of Steve Smith, who was 24 when he first captained the Royals.
Sanju Samson remains the most successful captain in RR’s history, leading the team in 67 matches with 33 wins and 32 losses. In 2024, he surpassed Shane Warne for the most matches captained for the Royals and is the only captain to have taken the team to two playoff appearances in IPL history.
Samson guided RR to their first final since 2008 in IPL 2022, finishing second with nine wins out of 14 matches, although they fell short against the Gujarat Titans in the final. Under his leadership, the Royals also reached the playoffs again in 2024, finishing third in the standings with 17 points.
(With ANI Inputs)