Rajasthan Royals Set for IPL 2026 with New Leadership
Rajasthan Royals' New Era Begins
As they aim for their second IPL championship, Rajasthan Royals (RR) are gearing up for the 2026 season with a fresh captain at the helm. Riyan Parag has taken over the captaincy from Sanju Samson and will lead the team full-time starting this season. In anticipation of the 19th IPL season, cricket analyst Aakash Chopra shared insights on the team's dynamics, pointing out some areas of concern. On his YouTube channel, he remarked that RR's batting lineup is notably youthful, emphasizing that their new captain, Riyan, has yet to establish himself as a prominent player on the international stage. Riyan has participated in one ODI and nine T20Is in 2024.
Chopra noted, "You might refer to them as weaknesses or challenges. The batting order is quite young. While Yashasvi Jaiswal has some experience, he is still relatively young. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is showing promise, but he is also a newcomer. Dhruv Jurel has great potential, yet he remains untested in the IPL as he hasn't made significant runs there." He further added, "Riyan Parag has demonstrated considerable promise, but he is not yet a recognized international star. Shimron Hetmyer is a valuable player, but his batting position for the West Indies is not applicable here. Donovan Ferreira has limited experience on the international front," Chopra explained.
Sanju Samson's Departure from RR
RR will miss the contributions of Sanju Samson, who has been with the team since IPL 2013. He has moved to Chennai Super Kings (CSK) through a trade ahead of IPL 2026, where he will play under the captaincy of Ruturaj Gaikwad. Parag's full-time leadership begins this season, following his initial stint as captain during IPL 2025, where he led the team for the first three matches while Samson was sidelined due to a thumb injury. Although Samson returned to captain the team later in the season, he was again ruled out due to injury, allowing Parag to step in once more. Additionally, RR will also be without former head coach Rahul Dravid, who parted ways with the franchise after just one season, having returned after a decade but only managing a single season with the team.