Star Indian all-rounder Riyan Parag is set to become the new captain of the Rajasthan Royals for the Indian Premier League 2026 season. The team made this decision after head coach and director of cricket Kumar Sangakkara spoke with several players. The Assam-based cricketer was seen as the best choice to lead the team in the T20 tournament.

After Sanju Samson moved to the Chennai Super Kings, the Jaipur-based team needed a new captain. Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel, and Ravindra Jadeja were also strong choices. However, Parag was selected as the full-time captain.

This is not the first time Parag has led the team. He captained Rajasthan Royals in eight matches during IPL 2025 when Samson was not available, as reported by ESPNcricinfo. The team won two of those matches. Even though the results were mixed, Parag performed very well with the bat. His best score was 95 runs against the Kolkata Knight Riders.

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Jaiswal’s Captaincy Hopes End as Royals Back Parag

Yashasvi Jaiswal had earlier shared that he wanted to take up the captain’s role. But according to ESPNcricinfo, the Rajasthan Royals have decided to give the job to Riyan Parag.

Parag has some captaincy experience. He led the side in eight matches when Sanju Samson was injured. He scored at an average of 38.57 in those games. His top score was 95 against the Kolkata Knight Riders at Eden Gardens. The team won two out of eight matches under him.

At 24, Parag’s rise as captain is an important step for the team. Many felt senior players like Ravindra Jadeja or Jos Buttler could take charge. But the management has trusted a young player for the long term.

🚨 PARAG THE NEW RR CAPTAIN. 🚨

- Riyan Parag set to be named as the new captain of Rajasthan Royals in the IPL. (Espncricinfo). pic.twitter.com/mi2y7MtfwG

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) February 13, 2026

Jaiswal Misses Out as Royals Plan for the Future

The move of Samson to the Chennai Super Kings ended his long time with Rajasthan. He led the team for many years and even took them to the final in 2022.

The trade brought Jadeja and Sam Curran to the Royals. Jadeja was also seen as a strong option for captain. However, head coach Kumar Sangakkara has backed Parag. This shows the team wants to build around young players for the next few years.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India will soon share the full schedule for IPL 2026. The dates are being fixed carefully so that matches do not clash with elections in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal. The season is likely to start in late March and end by late May or early June.

Rajasthan Royals Squad for IPL 2026

Yashasvi Jaiswal, Riyan Parag, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel, Shimron Hetmyer, Jofra Archer, Tushar Deshpande, Sandeep Sharma, Nandre Burger, Sam Curran, Adam Milne, Kwena Maphaka, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Donovan Ferreira, Ravi Singh, Shubham Dubey, Kuldeep Sen, Yudhvir Singh Charak, Lhuan-Dre Pretorius, Vignesh Puthur, Sushant Mishra, Yash Raj Punja, Brijesh Sharma, Aman Rao.

Indian opening batter Yashasvi Jaiswal is busy with domestic cricket, while he took a stunning catch at the slip during the fourth innings of the Mumbai vs Karnataka match in the Quarterfinal of the Ranji Trophy 2025-26.

Mumbai set a 325-run fourth innings target for Karnataka, while Karnataka opener KL Rahul and skipper-cum-the no.3 batter Devdutt Padikkal had a brilliant 84-run partnership for the second wicket.

Yashasvi Jaiswal grabbed stunning catch to dismiss Karnataka captain Devdutt Padikkal

The off-spinner Tanush Kotian provided the key breakthrough for Mumbai by dismissing Devdutt Padikkal, while the full credit of that wicket goes to Yashasvi Jaiswal. Jaiswal was at the slip, while Padikkal played a shot, but the ball had an outside edge to travel to the slip fielder. It was a matter of an instant reaction, and the slip fielder Jaiswal stunningly grabbed that opportunity after timely moving to his low left position. Padikkal was dismissed for 39 runs, as Karnataka were battling at 96/2. 

What a catch. What a moment in the match 🔥

Yashasvi Jaiswal pulls off a one-handed stunner in slip to get the big wicket of Devdutt Padikkal 🙌

The celebrations say it all 👌

Scorecard ▶️ https://t.co/LkDKjr7P5G#RanjiTrophy | @IDFCFIRSTBank | @ybj_19 pic.twitter.com/kytvr72U5j

— BCCI Domestic (@BCCIdomestic) February 8, 2026

Watch: Rashid Khan gives aggressive send-off to Glenn Phillips in NZ vs AFG T20 WC 2026

Mumbai fighting after trailing in first innings

After scoring five runs in the first innings of the match, Yashasvi Jaiswal scored 36 off 43 balls with four fours and two sixes. 

In the first innings, while Mumbai were bowled out for only 120 runs, where Akhil Herwadkar scored a valuable 60 runs, Karnataka replied with 173 all out, majorly thanks to the opener Mayank Agarwal's 90-run knock. 

In their second innings, Mumbai scored 377 runs to set the challenging 325-run fourth innings target for Karnataka. While Akash Anand scored 70 and Musheer Khan scored 49 runs, lower-order batters Tanush Kotian (48*) and Tushar Deshpande (47) had a crucial 89-run partnership for the ninth wicket, with both batters scoring important 40s. 

India batter Yashasvi Jaiswal has been included in Mumbai’s squad for the Ranji Trophy 2025–26 quarter-final, marking his return to red-ball cricket after missing most of the season due to illness. Jaiswal was diagnosed with acute gastroenteritis in late 2025 which resulted in his hospitalization after he played a Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy match.

The illness prevented Jaiswal from playing Ranji Trophy matches with Mumbai yet he performed exceptionally well during the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy despite having limited playing time. The left-hander scored at an impressive average of 48.33 across three innings, highlighted by a blistering 50-ball 101 against Haryana, underlining his match-winning ability in the shortest format.

Jaiswal played in the Vijay Hazare Trophy Elite 2025–26 after recovering from his illness, where he achieved an average of 21.33. The selectors chose different top-order players for India’s T20 World Cup 2026 squad because his white-ball games were insufficient to meet selection requirements.

Mumbai recall Jaiswal for Karnataka clash as Thakur makes comeback

Mumbai's senior selection committee has selected Jaiswal for the Ranji Trophy quarter-final against Karnataka, which will take place on February 6 according to Indian Express journalist Devendra Pandey. The match will also see the return of Shardul Thakur, who missed the early part of the season due to injury and will lead the Mumbai side.

ALSO SEE: Sri Lanka face massive injury setback ahead of T20 World Cup 2026; probable replacement named

The Mumbai team has important players who include Tushar Deshpande, Tanush Kotian, Musheer Khan and Ajinkya Rahane. The quarter-final match will not include Sarfaraz Khan because he suffered a hamstring injury during the group stage.

Jaiswal has had an unsteady selection schedule throughout the year but his performances in 2025 have shown him to be very successful. He scored 745 Test runs at an average of 39.2, averaged 57 in ODIs, and struck 704 IPL runs at a strike rate of 161.5.

Jaiswal uses the Indian Test team as his main platform but he must compete against established opening pairs in ODIs and T20Is which makes his Ranji Trophy return essential for advancing his case.

The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka, will get underway on February 7. The tournament will feature the world’s top 20 teams battling for cricket’s biggest T20 prize. Team India enter the competition as defending champions and will be eager to create history by becoming the first side to win the coveted trophy on home soil. With massive expectations and passionate home crowds, the pressure will be firmly on the hosts to deliver another memorable campaign.

As with every T20 World Cup, team selection has thrown up a few surprises ahead of the 2026 edition. While several players from the 2024 tournament featured prominently back then, not all have managed to retain their spots this time. A handful of high-profile names have been left out following changes in form, team balance, or strategy. Under the leadership of Suryakumar Yadav, India have assembled a strong squad, even as some familiar faces from 2024 miss out on the final cut.

See Also: Big blow for USA as star player charged under anti-corruption code before T20 World Cup 2026

Here are the top 3 Indian players who played in the 2024 T20 World Cup but are missing in 2026;

3. Mohammed Siraj

Although Mohammed Siraj was part of the victorious Indian team at the T20 World Cup 2024, he has missed out on selection for the T20 World Cup 2026 as the team has changed the dynamics of squads that include players that play various formats and different conditions with match specific performances being required. However, Siraj remains an important player in the Test and ODI formats but he doesn't have as much of a role in the T20 format as he did in previous years.

Siraj has had to deal with a high level of competition from younger players and fast bowling all-rounders like Harshit Rana as these players not only bowl fast but give added batting depth to a side as well. Indian management has placed a high priority on selecting players who have specific skill sets and can be adjusted depending on who is playing in the opposition side. For this reason, Sri was not selected despite his high level of experience. Siraj hasn't played in the T20 format since July 2024 when he played against Sri Lanka where he dropped further down the order as the Indian T20 team has moved away from older combinations and will now look towards players who can provide them enjoyment now and in the future.

2. Yashasvi Jaiswal

Many people were shocked when it was announced that Yashasvi Jaiswal wouldn’t be included in the T20 World Cup squad in 2026. He was an important part of the 2024 tournament and had established himself as one of India’s brightest young batting talents. He had been expected to be a long-term choice in this format of the game, having been the third option for the opening position behind Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli during the successful 2024 Indian T20 World Cup. His aggressive batting style, along with his ability to score runs quickly at the start of an innings, had made him a key player for future T20 World Cups.

However, due to a loss of form and the emergence of several other top-order players, Jaiswal’s selection was adversely affected. Significant contributions from the likes of Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan have only added to their selection credentials. As team management looked for players in form, who could play flexible roles within the team, Jaiswal was left out of the squad despite clearly being a capable player. Jaiswal has not played T20 international cricket since July 2024, against Sri Lanka, after which he was no longer considered for selection.

1. Rishabh Pant

Rishabh Pant is the biggest name missing from the players who participated in the 2024 T20 World Cup. He was part of India's world champion squad in 2022 when he provided a serviceable and frequently used option as their primary wicketkeeper over the previous two years; therefore, not being selected this time, despite being involved with the team recently and being back on track with his recent form after injury, has left some fans and many analysts stunned.

Indian team management seems to have gone with a different formula than they did in preparing for the 2026 T20 World Cup, with a very short slump in Pant's performance leading to his exclusion and other players Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan being included instead as wicketkeeper/batter candidates. Although the tournament will begin on February 7 at multiple locations throughout India and Sri Lanka, he will not be there with his name as one of the best T20 players from India.

India and New Zealand are all set to play the third and final match of the ongoing three-match series (IND vs NZ ODI). New Zealand bounced back, winning the second match in Rajkot after being defeated in the first match. The 1-1 scoreline makes the third match a must-win for both of the teams. The team which will be able to claim the third game at the Holkar Stadium will take the series home.

Ahead of the series decider, some glimpses of the Indian players were caught on camera off the field. A video shows Yashasvi Jaiswal was about to slap Dhruv Jurel, who might have made some joke on Jaiswal. The incident took place when the Indian cricketers were boarding the team bus.

Jaiswal as well as Jurel were also about to step into the bus when suddenly some comments of Jurel annoyed Jaiswal so much that he almost slapped the keeper-batter. The keeper-batter also might not expect that reaction from the young batter. Meanwhile, both of the cricketers are part of India's current ODI squad but did not get the chance to play in the previous two matches.

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Watch the moment when Jaiswal almost slapped Jurel

Dhruv Jurel teasing Yashasvi Jaiswal after the practice session, and Jaiswal almost slapped him 😂😂

What do you think Dhruv Jurel said to trigger that reaction? pic.twitter.com/IXzdmiGp5e

— Sonu (@Cricket_live247) January 17, 2026

The opening pair of Rohit Sharma and captain Shubman Gill so far has performed well in the series, which makes Jaiswal's chance to play in the series very tough. KL Rahul, who struck a well-controlled century, performed as the keeper-batter for the team. So, like Jaiswal, Jurel had to sit on the bench.

After the defeat in the second match, the Indian team management can change the playing combination. But it is unlikely to see Jaiswal or Jurel in the playing eleven.

It’s not often that a player who scored a century is left out of the next match. India’s white-ball cricket team has so much talent that even top performers sometimes miss out on the squad or have to sit on the bench despite strong performances.

Yashasvi Jaiswal and Ruturaj Gaikwad both scored centuries in their last ODI innings against South Africa last year. While Jaiswal has remained part of the squad for the ongoing series against New Zealand, Gaikwad has been left out.

Amid this matter, Jaiswal, the rising star of Indian cricket, was recently greeted by a huge crowd of fans while returning from a shopping mall ahead of the IND vs NZ 3rd ODI. Fans swarmed him on the way back to the team hotel, showing their excitement and admiration for one of India’s most promising batsmen. The moment highlights his growing popularity and the passion cricket inspires among fans across the country.

Watch the video here:

Yashasvi Jaiswal’s massive fan craze on the way back to the team hotel from a shopping mall 🔥 pic.twitter.com/ecB7Tk2MOD

— Sonu (@Cricket_live247) January 16, 2026

Also read -Watch: Kranti Gaud’s special dance video on ‘Raja Koi Lo Piya’ after win over Mumbai Indians in WPL 2026

Gavaskar on India’s Pressure and Jaiswal’s Chances in Series Finale

Batting legend Sunil Gavaskar feels the pressure will be on India in the series finale, leaving little room to try out Yashasvi Jaiswal. Jaiswal could have been included for the Indore game if the series had already been decided. India won the first match in Vadodara to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series, but the Kiwis bounced back with a seven-wicket triumph.

No Room for Experiments, Says Gavaskar

“…Had they (India) won this (second) game, they would have had the freedom to experiment a little, perhaps giving opportunities to those who haven’t played so far. Someone like Jaiswal could have gotten a bit of a run as well," Gavaskar said on JioHotstar. “All of that might have been possible. But now they can’t take any chances. They have to play their best eleven again."

On a slow pitch, KL Rahul’s fine century and a second successive fifty from captain Shubman Gill guided India to a challenging 284/7 at the Niranjan Shah Stadium. However, Daryl Mitchell led New Zealand’s response with an unbeaten century to seal a relatively comfortable win, which surprised Gavaskar.

“I was surprised by how easily New Zealand got across the line because, before they started batting, everyone thought India would be able to use the slowness of the pitch," Gavaskar said. “With their (New Zealand) bowlers—not just the spinners, but all of them—using the slowness of the surface well, it felt like India would be able to restrict New Zealand to around 260 or 270. I thought that would have been an easy win for India," he added.

On the sidelines of the ongoing fifth and final Ashes 2025/26 Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground, the two former players, Mark Waugh and Michael Vaughan, have been asked to reflect on the decision to select the next best Test batter in future, to which both went for two different players.

Junior went ahead with the current left-handed opening batter of India, Yashasvi Jaiswal, ahead of the captain, Shubman Gill. Jaiswal has already smashed 2511 runs in 53 Test innings at an average of nearly 50, thanks to his seven centuries and 13 half-centuries at the best score of unbeaten 214.

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“I reckon there are three in the run- Yashasvi Jaiswal from India, Harry Brook from England, and Rachin Ravindra from New Zealand. I am, however, going with Jaiswal- 24 years of age, averages just under 50, has a 200, and there is something special about the kid. I am selecting him to be the next best Test batter and join the elite group of players.” Junior Waugh shed light on Kayo Sports.

Mark Waugh picks Yashasvi Jaiswal as next best Test batter

Meanwhile, Vaughn has gone with the current white-ball captain of England, Harry Brook, who has notched up 3052 runs in 58 innings of the longest format at an average of 54.50 and a strike rate of 86.82 with 10 centuries and 14 fifties at the best score of 317.

Watch the video here: 

Who do you think the next great Test cricket batsman is? 🏏🤔

Watch the #Ashes LIVE in 4K and ad-break free during play, on Kayo!#TheAshes #AUSvENG #SCG #Cricket pic.twitter.com/9xOBP6TooR

— Kayo Sports (@kayosports) January 7, 2026

“I will throw Shubman Gill in the list, but I reckon Harry Brook is the next best Test batter in the future. We have already been talking about him, whether in his trip, where he hasn’t got the amount of runs I would have expected, but over the next 10 years, I am expecting some extraordinary innings from this young chap.” Vaughan expressed.

“He has already played so many games for England in both the white-ball and red-ball formats. And he is box office- so I have been going on with Harry Brook.” The former England captain addressed, as no one picked Rachin Ravindra, who has 1526 Test runs at 47.68 with four centuries and five fifties.

Rajasthan Royals (RR) is yet to announce their captain's name for the IPL 2026 season. Sanju Samson was their skipper in the previous season, who joined Chennai Super Kings through a trade deal before the IPL 2026 auction.

Samson's departure has created a massive blank spot in the franchise, as he was not only the leader but also a crowd puller as well. To fill up the void, RR brought in Ravindra Jadeja in the trade deal. It was hugely speculated that Jadeja could be the new captain of the team for the upcoming Indian Premier League season. Now, some fresh reports have suggested that the management of Rajasthan Royals can appoint Yashasvi Jaiswal as their new skipper over Jadeja.

Jaiswal has been associated with the franchise since his IPL debut. From the IPL 2020-21 season to IPL 2025, the young opener accumulated 2,166 runs in 67 matches for Rajasthan Royals. Like Samson, Jaiswal also understands the mentality of the team, and he is someone who can serve the team for multiple seasons, as Jaiswal is only 24 years old.

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Yashasvi Jaiswal poised to become the next captain of Rajasthan Royals in the IPL 2026 season 

Apart from Jaiswal and Jadeja, there is another player who has been with the franchise for a long time: Riyan Parag. Parag can be another contender to become the leader of the team for the IPL 2026 season. But as of now, it is Yashasvi Jaiswal who is leading the race to become the next captain of the Rajasthan Royals.

The southpaw was in good form during the IPL 2025 season, scoring 559 runs in 14 matches. Though, as a team, RR experienced a rock-hard situation by finishing in the bottom half of the points table. 

Team India opener Yashasvi Jaiswal stole the spotlights at the Reliance Foundation Event with his new look. The batter was spotted in a retro appearance in the show. As he is only 24, the old-school makeover surprised the cricket fans. 

The recent past few weeks were full of events for Yashasvi Jaiswal. From performing for Team India to suffering from a serious food poisoning issue, the opener was in the headlines for multiple reasons. It is expected to see him in action for India during the 3-match ODI series against New Zealand, as the selectors named the batter to the final squad. Jaiswal was left out from the T20I squad, which will feature in both Twenty20 series with New Zealand and in the T20 World Cup 2026. 

The 3-match ODI series is scheduled to start on 11th January at the BCA Stadium, Vadodara. Ahead of that, Jaiswal, along with many other star players, is playing in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy for their respective states. Jaiswal, representing Mumbai in the 50-overs series, has been struggling to maintain his rhythm. After smashing a hundred against Haryana on December 14, 2025, the southpaw had to toil for runs. Against Goa, he missed a half-century for only four runs but surprisingly took a couple of wickets. 

Read More: 3 reasons why Rajasthan Royals must consider appointing Sam Curran as captain for IPL 2026

Watxh the new look of Yashasvi Jaiswal in this video 

Yashasvi Jaiswal in Pure 90s Style in Reliance Foundation Event 😅

His Hair style, Beard style, cloths giving 90s vibe 🔥 pic.twitter.com/n60nCzFElj

— Jara (@JARA_Memer) January 5, 2026

On December 28, 2025, which was his 24th birthday, a video of the batter went viral on social media platforms. The viral video showed that the star cricketer was celebrating his birthday with his mother. Only a few days ago, he recovered from the food poisoning issue. 

India’s ODI squad: Shubman Gill (C), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul (WK), Shreyas Iyer (VC)*, Washington Sundar, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohd Siraj, Harshit Rana, Prasidh Krishna, Kuldeep Yadav, Rishabh Pant (WK), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Arshdeep Singh, and Yashasvi Jaiswal.

It is time for the new year 2026, and many top Indian cricketers are ready for the Vijay Hazare Trophy in the new year. Here we are going through some of the top names in the Indian national cricket team, who are expected to participate in the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26 in January 2026.

See Also: Harsha Bhogle reveals his ODI XI of the Year

Virat Kohli

Former Indian captain Virat Kohli is in dream form with the bat, as he has scored 50+ runs in the last six innings, including three centuries. The Delhi star has already played two fixtures in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy, where he scored 131 and 77 runs, respectively. He is likely to play his third game in this competition on December 6 when Delhi will face Railways.

Rishabh Pant

The wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant is leading the Delhi team, and he has committed to playing all matches for Delhi in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy season. In this competition, his scores are 5, 70, and 22 runs, respectively. 

Yashasvi Jaiswal

Indian opening batter Yashasvi Jaiswal has joined the Mumbai team after recovering from stomach cramps, for which he was hospitalised after the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy match against Rajasthan on December 16. While he is likely to feature in the match against Goa on December 31, 2025, he is likely to continue his journey with Mumbai in the ongoing List A tournament.

Shubman Gill

Indian Test and ODI captain Shubman Gill is set to return to the game after recovering from a foot injury, which forced him to miss the last two T20I matches against South Africa. The Punjab star batter is likely to play the match against Sikkim and Goa on January 3 and 6, respectively. 

Ravindra Jadeja

By participating in the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26, Indian all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja is sending a clear message to the team management about his goal for the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2027, which will be held in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia from October to November 2027. The Saurashtra all-rounder can play the match against Services and Gujarat on January 6 and 8, respectively. 

KL Rahul

Although there is no confirmation yet, KL Rahul is likely to serve for Karnataka on January 3 and 6 matches against Tripura and Rajasthan, respectively.