Why are Riyan Parag and Mohammed Shami not playing RR vs LSG in Jaipur?

Rajasthan Royals face Lucknow Super Giants in Jaipur on Friday and two of their most important players are missing from the starting lineup for very different reasons.

The toss itself provided one of the more entertaining exchanges of the IPL 2026 season, Rishabh Pant and Ian Bishop going around in circles long enough for Pant's puzzled face to become the image of the evening, but beneath the comedy there are real selection stories worth understanding heading into this fixture.

RR vs LSG: Why Riyan Parag is not playing

Riyan Parag is absent with a hamstring injury. Yashasvi Jaiswal takes the captaincy in his place and the RR skipper was upbeat at the toss despite the circumstances. "It means a lot to me and I'm proud to represent the Rajasthan Royals franchise," Jaiswal said, and he opted to bowl first expecting dew to set in later in the evening.

Parag is not entirely absent from the matchday setup he is on the Impact Subs bench but the expectation is that Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is the likeliest player to come in from the bench when RR chase rather than the captain returning through the Impact Player route. Jaiswal also confirmed that Jadeja, who has been managing some niggles, is recovering and should be available soon.

RR vs LSG: Why Mohammed Shami is not playing

This one came with rather less clarity, which is why the toss conversation became what it became. Pant confirmed Mohammed Shami was out and Mohsin Khan was in. Bishop asked what the issue was with Shami. Pant said Mohsin was playing. Bishop asked again.

Pant made a puzzled face. Bishop tried a different angle. Pant confirmed Mohammed Shami was out and Aiden Markram was also absent with Ayush Badoni coming in. Bishop concluded that they could leave it there. Pant nodded.

The exact nature of Mohammed Shami's issue was not specified at the toss and the exchange suggested Pant either did not have the detail or chose not to share it in that particular forum. What is confirmed is that Mohammed Shami does not play tonight a significant absence for an LSG bowling attack that has relied heavily on him all season, and Mohsin Khan takes his place in the XI.

Also READ: RR vs LSG match prediction: Who will win Rajasthan Royals vs Lucknow Super Giants IPL 2026 match 64?

IPL 2026, RR vs LSG: What the XIs look like without Riyan Parag and Mohammed Shami

LSG go with Mitchell Marsh and Josh Inglis at the top, Nicholas Pooran, Ayush Badoni, Rishabh Pant, Abdul Samad, Shahbaz Ahmad, Mohsin Khan, Mayank Yadav, Akash Singh and Prince Yadav.

It is a batting-heavy lineup without Mohammed Shami's new-ball threat and without Markram's batting stability, which places the bowling burden squarely on Mayank Yadav's pace and whatever Mohsin Khan can contribute with movement.

RR field Jaiswal as stand-in captain, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Dhruv Jurel, Donovan Ferreira, Shubham Dubey, Dasun Shanaka, Jofra Archer, Sandeep Sharma, Sushant Mishra, Brijesh Sharma and Yash Raj Punja, a side without Riyan Parag, Jadeja and Sooryavanshi in the starting lineup but with the last of those three waiting on the bench as the likeliest Impact Player when RR bat.

Lucknow Super Giants (Playing XI): Mitchell Marsh, Josh Inglis, Nicholas Pooran, Rishabh Pant(w/c), Ayush Badoni, Abdul Samad, Shahbaz Ahmed, Mohsin Khan, Mayank Yadav, Akash Maharaj Singh, Prince Yadav

Rajasthan Royals (Playing XI): Yashasvi Jaiswal(c), Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Dhruv Jurel(w), Donovan Ferreira, Shubham Dubey, Dasun Shanaka, Jofra Archer, Sushant Mishra, Sandeep Sharma, Brijesh Sharma, Yash Raj Punja

Lucknow Super Giants Impact subs: Mukul Choudhary, Manimaran Siddharth, Digvesh Singh Rathi, Himmat Singh, Arshin Kulkarni

Rajasthan Royals Impact subs: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Yudhvir Singh, Aman Rao Perala, Ravi Bishnoi, Riyan Parag