‘Can Rohit Sharma or Virat Kohli be replaced?’ Riyan Parag faces Sanju Samson exit reality, details RR’s rebuild plan

Sanju Samson was the face of the Rajasthan franchise for more than a decade, having represented the side across 11 seasons

Published on: Mar 19, 2026, 14:58:51 IST

Written by Aratrick Mondal

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Riyan Parag, on Thursday, addressed the void left by Sanju Samson at Rajasthan Royals, admitting that replacing a player of his calibre is no easy task. Drawing a bold comparison with stalwarts Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, the new RR captain underlined the scale of the challenge ahead, while also outlining the team’s plans to rebuild and move forward after Samson’s departure ahead of the 2026 season of the Indian Premier League.

Sanju Samson will play for CSK in IPL 2026

Samson was the face of the Rajasthan franchise for more than a decade, having represented the side across 11 seasons, and also served as the IPL captain for five straight seasons, between 2021 and 2025. However, ahead of the auction last December, he was traded to Chennai Super Kings in a high-profile move where the Royals earned Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran in exchange.

Speaking at the pre-season press conference, Parag labelled Samson as irreplaceable and outlined how the Royals would look to rebuild in the absence of the Indian star by focussing on better planning and finishing games this season.

"We never thought of replacing him (Sanju Samson). Can you replace Rohit Sharma or Virat Kohli? No. In the same manner, Sanju bhaiya is irreplaceable. We can try someone with a similar skill set or ask someone to bat in his position, but he cannot be replaced. This year, the focus is to plan better and finish games, which we couldn’t do in the previous edition," he said.

Parag also dropped a mention Jadeja's return to the franchise. The India all-rounder was part of the Royals in 2008 and 2009.

He added, "We possess an excellent combination of both spin and fast bowlers. Similarly, in our batting lineup, we have ensured a good balance between right-handed and left-handed batsmen. We have high expectations from Ravindra Jadeja; he is a magnificent all-rounder."

Rajasthan Royals will open their campaign against Chennai Super Kings on March 30 in Guwahati, implying that both Samson and Jadeja will be up against their respective former franchises.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Aratrick Mondal
Aratrick Mondal is a senior sports journalist based in New Delhi. In his eight years as a sports writer, Aratrick has worked at leading media organisations, including The Times of India, Times Now, Zee, India TV and currently works at a senior position at Hindustan Times Digital. He writes on cricket, football, pickleball and tennis, among other sports. He has extensively covered India's evolving cricket landscape, the country's new-found love for private leagues such as Indian Pickleball League (IPBL), Ultimate Kho Kho League (UKK), Rugby Premier League (RPL) and several tennis leagues. He has closely covered emerging sports such as pickleball. His coverage of major franchise events lends an atmospheric flavor to his ground reports. His recent story on how SA20 (the domestic cricket league of South Africa) had opened up its grounds to create a carnival-like fan experience garnered major international attention, including appreciation from major cricketers. Tennis holds a special place in his heart. Aratrick has built a strong niche in analytical tennis stories—ranging from Grand Slam narratives and player profiles to tactical breakdowns and ranking trends. His long-form features often decode grand slams, career highs and lows of tennis greats and the upward trajectory of emerging stars. He also closely follows India's tennis landscape, having covered the Davis Cup, Bengaluru Open and Tata Open, among others. His reporting is backed by strong data capabilities, with hands-on experience using tools like Python, Tableau, and Excel to produce visually rich, insight-led stories. This data-first approach enhances accuracy, transparency, and trust. In leadership roles, he has managed editorial shifts, overseen homepage strategy, optimised SEO workflows, and mentored peers to deliver consistent, high-traffic journalism. He recently won the HT DigiStar award for the third quarter of financial year 2025-26. Aratrick is trusted for his balanced reportage, sound sourcing, and ability to translate complex sporting events into engaging narratives that speak to a wide audience. He believes sports is for everyone, not just for the enthusiasts and has a unique ability to bring people together - just like the sumptuous meals you'll often find him cooking on a weekend evening.Read More

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