IPL 2026 season - Riyan Parag slated for Rajasthan Royals captaincy role

Simon Lewis

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Simon Lewis 1 hour ago

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Riyan Parag rumoured to be in line for Rajasthan Royals captaincy.
Last season's Royals skipper, Sanju Samson, has been traded to Chennai Super Kings.
The IPL’s 19th season takes place from March to May 2026.

Riyan Parag hits out for Rajasthan Royals (Getty Images).

The Rajasthan Royals recently traded last season’s skipper, Sanju Samson, to the Chennai Super Kings and, as a result, rumours abound that Samson’s stand-in skipper in 2025, Riyan Parag, is set to be given the captain’s armband for the coming season.

"There haven't been any discussions about captaincy at RR yet. I'm not thinking about it right now either. If I start thinking about it now it will mess with my mindset, and a significant amount of mental space will be occupied by just one thing - captaincy, captaincy, captaincy,” said Parag.

"If the team and management feel that I'm the right fit for the captaincy role, then I'm more than ready. Similarly, if they feel that I can contribute more effectively to the team as just a player, I'm ready for that too. My main goal is to have a season where I score 500-600 runs and take 10-15 wickets and help the team win the trophy," he added.

Looking to consolidate his Indian spot

The 24-year-old’s primary focus is on his form with the bat, recuperating fully from injury, and trying to nail down a regular place in the Indian whiteball side. He hasn’t scored above 17 in his last nine innings - all in domestic cricket - as he battles back from his shoulder injury.

He made his ODI and T20I debuts for India in 2024, playing one ODI and nine T20Is, but has not played in 2025. He scored just 15 in his one ODI appearance, but took 3/54 with the ball. He has picked up four wickets in his nine T20Is, with a best return of 3/5, but could only muster 106 runs at an average of 17.66 with the bat.

Rising success in the IPL

Parag’s first five seasons in the IPL were underwhelming, but he was a youngster and not afforded many opportunities to shine. His last two seasons have been very successful, scoring 573 runs in 2024 (ave 52.09) and 393 runs in 2025 (ave 32.75).

In total he has notched up 1566 runs in 84 IPL innings at an average of 26.10, with a high score of 95 and seven half-centuries.

Ready for the role

Despite not being focused on the captaincy, Parag is mentally ready for the task, if called upon.

"Last year, I captained in seven or eight IPL matches, and when I went into the dressing room and analysed my decisions with the coaches and data analysts, about 80 to 85% of my decisions were correct. You learn a lot from that, and when you go to the big stage, you don't feel the pressure of how to captain or how to manage the team and the field. Overall, I always enjoy captaincy, and it has helped me evolve a lot as a person," said Parag.

Riyan Parag – IPL batting record

Season	M	Runs	HS	Ave	SR	50s
2025	14	393	95	32.75	166.5	1
2024	16	573	84*	52.09	149.2	4
2023	7	78	20	13	118.2	0
2022	17	183	56*	16.63	138.6	1
2021	11	93	25	11.62	112.0	0
2020/21	12	86	42*	12.28	111.7	0
2019	7	160	50	32	127.0	1
	84	1566	95	26.1	141.8	7