Riyan Parag set to lead Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2026, replacing Sanju Samson — Report

Endless speculations and claims on Rajasthan Royals (RR) ahead of the IPL 2026 mini auction. It is now widely discussed that Sanju Samson can leave the franchise. Samson was the captain of the team in the previous season as well, and he was the face of the team. His possible departure can prove very costly for the team in the near future. If he really switches to another IPL franchise, then who will be the captain of RR?

Weeks before, there were rumors that Yashasvi Jaiswal could be the man in the leadership role. There is no secret that Jaiswal himself wants to boost up his career, and a captaincy role can work as a positive catalyst. Though, as of now, there is no official confirmation from the franchise. Now, some latest reports suggest that not Jaiswal, but Riyan Parag is poised to be the captain of Rajasthan Royals in place of Sanju Samson for IPL 2026.

There are enough valid points and possibilities behind this claim, as Parag acted as the stand-in skipper whenever Samson was out of the action due to injuries in the IPL 2025 campaign. Like Sanju, Riyan has been with the franchise for a long time and understands the mentality of the club. From the 2019 season of the Indian Premier League, the Assam-born is with the team from the 'Pink City.'

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Riyan Parag to become the captain of Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2026!

In 84 matches, the middle-order batter has scored 1566 runs at an average of 26.10. He is only 23, with a lot of room to grow in the future. Without any doubt, Parag has all the potential to be the central character of the Rajasthan Royals.

In the recent past, the batter showed some brilliant batting for the India A team as well against the Australia A team, scoring three half-centuries in three matches. Considering his recent performances and potential, Parag deserves a bigger role to show his mettle.