Rajasthan Royals (RR) batter Riyan Parag has opened up about the possibility of becoming the franchise’s full-time captain for IPL 2026. Parag, who led the side in eight matches during the previous season, is among the leading contenders to take over from Sanju Samson. Samson was traded to Chennai Super Kings (CSK) ahead of the retention deadline, making the captaincy spot vacant for the upcoming cycle.
Speaking to Sportstar, the 24-year-old reflected on his brief leadership stint and said he is confident in his decision-making ability.
“I captained in seven to eight matches last season. In the dressing room, when we analysed decisions, I feel I got 80–85 per cent of them right,” Parag said.
Parag added that Royals owner Manoj Badale has indicated the final captaincy call will only be made after the IPL 2026 mega auction on December 16.
“Manoj sir said the decision will be taken after the auction. If I think about it now, it will disturb my mental space. If management believes I’m the right fit, I’ll be ready. If they want me to contribute more as a player, I’ll do that too,” he stated.
Parag also spoke about the pressures of leadership, clarifying that captaincy is far more demanding than it appears.
“People think captaincy is easy. Yes, it brings fame, but cricket becomes only 20 per cent of the role. There are meetings, sponsor shoots, media responsibilities. I still need to grow in those areas,” he explained.
Rajasthan Royals traded Samson to CSK last month in exchange for Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran. Samson, who captained RR from 2021 to 2025, moved for ₹18 crore, while Jadeja and Curran joined RR for ₹14 crore and ₹2.4 crore respectively. Jadeja, who played 27 IPL matches for RR earlier in his career, will also receive a revised contract fee for the upcoming season.
