Former India opener Kris Srikkanth said that Riyan Parag was preferred to captain Rajasthan Royals (RR) ahead of the IPL 2026 season. Parag was appointed the full-time captain after the franchise transferred Sanju Samson to Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in place of Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran.
Parag started his IPL journey with the Royals in the 2019 season. Among the early IPL winners are Indian players like Ravindra Jadeja, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Dhruv Jurel. However, the Royals management chose the 24-year-old cricketer, who also led the team in IPL 2024, for the leadership role this year.
He is treated like a king – Kris Srikkanth questions Riyan Parag’s appointment
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Kris Srikkanth criticized the appointment of Riyan Parag as RR captain. Srikkanth said that Parag gets royal treatment within the Rajasthan Royals franchise despite his inconsistent batting performances.
Srikkanth said, “Everyone knows how he became captain. There he is treated like a king. So, Yashasvi Jaiswal can only become a minister. Parag did not have a good season last year, but last year he performed brilliantly. Last year he did not do anything fatal.”
Despite the inconsistency, Parag emerged as RR’s second-highest run-scorer last season with 393 runs at an average of almost 33 and a strike rate above 166. He had earlier enjoyed a successful 2024 campaign, scoring 573 runs at an average of over 52.
They are not a team to win championships – Kris Srikkanth
Chris Srikkanth said that Rajasthan Royals are not a championship-winning team despite boasting of many match-winners. He described the explosive opening partnership of Yashasvi Jaiswal and Vaibhav Suryavanshi as their biggest strength.
“This is a decent side. They have the ability to trouble teams. But they are also a team that will self-destruct. Still, if two of their top five click, they will thrash the opposition. The Jaiswal-Suryavanshi opening stand is their biggest plus. They are capable of winning matches single-handedly.”
“So they are a good team but not dangerous. They are not a championship-winning team. They are also 50-50 for playoff qualification,” he said.
Riyan Parag ready for first full-time stint as RR captain
The IPL 2026 season is Riyan Parag’s first full-time stint as captain. He led Rajasthan Royals in eight matches last season amid Sanju Samson’s injury problems.
However, Rajasthan Royals won only two games under his temporary leadership and finished ninth in the standings, just ahead of Chennai Super Kings.
Rajasthan Royals will begin their IPL 2026 campaign against Chennai Super Kings on March 30 at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati.
After the opener, the Riyan Parag-led side will face Gujarat Titans (GT) at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on April 4, before hosting Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bangalore in Guwahati.
Parag will have to overcome criticism and team inconsistencies to prove his leadership. He has scored 1566 runs in 84 matches for Rajasthan Royals and needs a strong season to silence his critics.
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