IPL 2026: Why Riyan Parag Was Appointed as RR Skipper? Head Coach Kumar Sangakkara Explains

Following Sanju Samson's move to CSK, the Rajasthan Royals appointed Riyan Parag as IPL 2026 captain. Head coach Kumar Sangakkara said Parag’s maturity and vision set him apart from contenders like Yashasvi Jaiswal and Ravindra Jadeja. He now aims to guide RR to end their 18-year title drought.

Following Sanju Samson’s departure to Chennai Super Kings, the Rajasthan Royals turned to Riyan Parag for the captaincy ahead of the IPL 2026. Parag joined the Rajasthan Royals in 2019, and since then, the Assam cricketer has grown into one of the key players in the team over the last seven seasons.

In the last IPL season, Riyan Parag was handed captaincy duties by the RR management when Sanju Samson was sidelined with an injury. However, under the captaincy of Parag, the Royals had struggled for consistency, winning 2 games and losing 6 in 8 outings, resulting in the team finishing ninth on the points table and failing to qualify for the final.

After Samson was traded to CSK ahead of the 2026 IPL season, the RR franchise was looking for a capable leader to take charge of the team. Dhruv Jurel, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Riyan Parag were the contenders for the captaincy, but the management ultimately chose Parag, as the stand-in captaincy appointment in the last IPL season hinted at his full-time leadership role.

How was Riyan Parag Chosen as RR Skipper?

Riyan Parag’s captaincy appointment came as a surprise, given that the team has Dhruv Jurel, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Ravindra Jadeja, who was traded from the Chennai Super Kings, to lead the team. However, Parag was chosen as the new skipper, succeeding Sanju Samson at the Royals.

Speaking to the reporters on the eve of the CSK clash, RR head coach Kumar Sangakkara revealed that there were five candidates, including Jadeja and Sandeep Sharma, and after thorough evaluation, Riyan Parag emerged as the best choice to lead the team.

"There were five candidates, including Sandeep Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja,” the former Sri Lanka captain said.

“We had very strict parameters as to how we are going to choose, what is the process, so we had lots of conversations with all candidates, and we realised all are very capable of captaining our side.

“Riyan came across as the top candidate because in all his conversations, he seemed to have matured a lot,” he added.

Riyan Parag already has captaincy credentials under his belt, having led Assam in 23 matches across formats in domestic cricket. His notable success came when he captained Assam to the semifinal of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2023-24 season and finished as the tournament’s highest run-getter with 510 runs at an average of 85.00 in 10 matches.

Riyan Parag Emerged as the Leading Candidate

Further speaking on Riyan Parag’s appointment as RR captain, Kumar Sangakkara stated that his maturity, vision, and ability to lead under pressure made him the standout candidate among all contenders, ensuring a fair and confident choice.

“He was very reflective in answering all the questions, and the questions were very tough, targeted questions. Some of those questions were quite uncomfortable for all of them.” The RR head coach said.

“Riyan, with his maturity, his vision, wanted not just to captain but to lead the team. It made him the leading candidate. We went with an open mind and gave due respect to all the players, gave all an equal chance, and picked the best candidate," he added.

In his first full-time captaincy in IPL, Riyan Parag has an arduous task in his hand as the Rajasthan Royals aim to rebuild, balance youth and experience, and end their 18-year title drought in 2026.

It remains to be seen whether Riyan Parag can lead Rajasthan Royals to glory and finally end the franchise’s long wait to reclaim the IPL title, which they first won and last won in the inaugural season of the tournament in 2008.