Riyan Parag named Rajasthan Royals captain

Riyan Parag has been appointed captain of the Rajasthan Royals franchise ahead of IPL 2026, ushering in a new era following Sanju Samson’s move to the Chennai Super Kings.

Parag, who made his Indian Premier League debut in 2019, has spent all seven of his seasons with the Royals. He briefly captained the side in eight matches last year when Samson was on the bench due to injury, managing two wins and six losses as the team finished ninth. While the stint proved challenging, Parag made a splash with the bat, averaging 38.57 in those games, including a career-best 95 against Kolkata Knight Riders at Eden Gardens.

Overall, Parag has featured in 84 IPL matches, scoring 1566 runs at a strike rate of 141.84. His standout campaign materialized in 2024, when he amassed 573 runs at a strike rate of 149.21. Although he struck at an even more nimble 166.52 last season, his aggregate dipped to 393, with just one fifty.

With Rahul Dravid also departing as head coach after the 2025 edition, the Royals will head into IPL 2026 with a new leadership group, as Kumar Sangakkara takes charge alongside Parag in what promises to be a fresh chapter for the pink-clad team.