Rajasthan Royals made a stellar start to the season, winning their first four games to surge to the top of the points table. But consecutive defeats—both away from home, to Sunrisers Hyderabad by 57 runs and Kolkata Knight Riders by four wickets—left them in fourth spot. Both losses also drew criticism, with captain Riyan Parag bearing the brunt for his poor batting form.
Rajasthan Royals' skipper Riyan Parag walks back to pavillion after losing his wicket to during the IPL 2026 match at Eden Gardens (ANI Picture Service)
{{^htLoading}} {{/htLoading}}
In six matches this season, Parag—who was elevated to the captaincy role after Rajasthan parted ways with Sanju Samson—has managed only 61 runs at a strike rate of 122. His struggles have been at the heart of Rajasthan’s middle-order woes, which were exposed in those two defeats.
Although Parag has impressed as a captain, his modest returns have led to concerns. In fact, four of his six dismissals this season have come within the first ten balls, while his strike rate is the fifth-lowest among all batters who have faced at least 50 deliveries.
With the Royals gearing up for a third straight away game this season—against Lucknow Super Giants at the Ekana Stadium on Wednesday—former India cricketer Wasim Jaffer urged Parag to move down the order and promote Shimron Hetmyer to the No. 3 or No. 4 role.
{{/usCountry}}
{{#usCountry}}
With the Royals gearing up for a third straight away game this season—against Lucknow Super Giants at the Ekana Stadium on Wednesday—former India cricketer Wasim Jaffer urged Parag to move down the order and promote Shimron Hetmyer to the No. 3 or No. 4 role.
{{/usCountry}}
“I would like Shimron Hetmyer to be pushed a bit higher in the batting order, or if Riyan Parag is not getting runs, he should maybe move down. The in-form players should be given opportunities higher up. So Rajasthan can make this adjustment. I feel he should not go back to the old strategy. Hetmyer is a very dangerous player, and if you play him at No. 3 or No. 4 and give him enough time, he can be very destructive,” he said on his YouTube channel.
{{^htLoading}} {{/htLoading}}
Jaffer also raised concerns over Parag’s lack of runs this season, warning that his influence in the dressing room could drop unless he returns to form.
“As a batter, the fact that runs are not coming is definitely a worry, without a doubt. So he will have to fix that. He needs to spend a bit more time at the crease, improve his shot selection, and also work on the execution of his shots. He is talented and has performed before. He has played for India as well and has had decent performances. But now, in this season, since the runs are not coming, he needs to think about it. He is captaining the side, but his influence will only carry weight when he performs himself.”
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.
Get live cricket scores, match updates, schedules, results and ICC rankings. Follow the latest news, statistics and performances of top teams and players on Hindustan Times.
Get live cricket scores, match updates, schedules, results and ICC rankings. Follow the latest news, statistics and performances of top teams and players on Hindustan Times.
Home/Cricket/Riyan Parag told to 'drop down the order' as form slump raises concerns over his leadership influence
{{^htLoading}}
Advertisement
{{/htLoading}}
SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
{{#usCountry}}{{/usCountry}}
Hindustantimes wants to start sending you push notifications. Click allow to subscribe
