Will Riyan Parag captain Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2026? The cricketer himself gave the answer

By Samira Vishwas On Dec 6, 2025

No answer has been found yet to the question of who will captain Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026. However, some people believe that Riyan Parag is the frontrunner in this race but the truth is that his future role has also not been decided yet. Long-time captain Sanju Samson has been traded to Chennai Super Kings before the retention deadline, fueling speculation about the vacant spot.

When Parag was asked a question about captaincy, he refused to say anything publicly about it. His experience with Assam, where he has captained the team in domestic white-ball tournaments, gives him a strong base in leadership. He also captained Rajasthan in IPL 2025. In such a situation, perhaps the Rajasthan camp can look towards him for the upcoming season also.

Parag told Sportstar during a conversation, “I captained in seven to eight matches in the IPL last season. In the dressing room, when we used to analyze the decisions, I did 80 to 85 percent of the right things. Manoj Badale sir has said that the decision on captaincy will be taken after the auction. If I think about it now, I will spoil my mental peace. If the team management thinks that I will be considered for the captaincy. If I am right, I am ready. If they feel that I can contribute more as a player, then I am ready for that too.”

Parag further said, “Everyone has this misconception that captaincy is easy. Yes, there is an aspect of fame in captaincy, but it reduces the aspect of cricket by 20 percent. You have to attend all the meetings, go to sponsor shoots and answer questions from the media. I need to develop these things as a person.”