Former India opening batter and national selector, Kris Srikkanth, took potshots at Riyan Parag's appointment as the Rajasthan Royals captain, saying everyone knows who he got the top job. Without providing further details, the 1983 World Cup winner hinted that the all-rounder from Assam was receiving preferential treatment. Last year, Parag stepped in as captain when Sanju Samson was sidelined due to an injury, and it was therefore not surprising to see the management name him as the full-time captain for IPL 2026, given that Samson was traded to the five-time champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK).
Yes, there's a presence of Ravindra Jadeja, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Dhruv Jurel in the Rajasthan Royals squad, but none among the trio has much experience of leading any team. Jadeja led CSK in IPL 2022; however, after a few games, the captaincy was taken from him and returned to MS Dhoni.
On the other hand, Parag has the experience of leading Assam in domestic cricket. It would be interesting to see how he performs, especially after having the mantle of leading the side in a high-profile tournament like the IPL. However, Srikkanth is not pleased with the 24-year-old leading the inaugural champions of the IPL.
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“Everyone knows how he became the captain. That is their decision but he is treated like the king there. Parag didn’t have a good season last year, but the year before last, he did brilliantly. Last year, he didn’t do anything substantial,” claimed Srikkanth on his YouTube channel.
{{/usCountry}}“Everyone knows how he became the captain. That is their decision but he is treated like the king there. Parag didn’t have a good season last year, but the year before last, he did brilliantly. Last year, he didn’t do anything substantial,” claimed Srikkanth on his YouTube channel.
{{/usCountry}}Parag had captained the Royals in eight matches last season. With the bat, he managed 393 runs at a strike rate of 166.52. The franchise failed to qualify for the playoffs, finishing in ninth place. Parag has been with the Royals ever since the start of his IPL career in 2017.
‘Not a championship winning side’
The Royals have bolstered their squad ahead of the IPL 2026, adding the likes of Jadeja and Sam Curran. However, the latter has been ruled out of the tournament due to an injury, and Dasun Shanaka has been named as his replacement. The entire world is waiting to see how the young prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi performs and what sort of opening partnership he forms alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal.
Srikkanth doesn't believe Rajasthan are a championship-winning side, saying the franchise will struggle in IPL 2026.
“It’s a decent side. They have the potential to upset sides. But they are also a side that will self-destruct. Yet, if two in their top five click, they will smash the opposition. The Jaiswal-Suryavanshi opening stand is their biggest plus. They are capable of winning matches singlehandedly. So they are a good side but not a dangerous one. They are not a championship-winning side. They are 50-50 even for playoff qualification,” remarked Srikkanth.
Rajasthan Royals will begin their IPL 2026 campaign on March 30 against the five-time champions Chennai Super Kings at the Barsapara Stadium in Guwahati.