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Jaipur, April 26: Rajasthan Royals skipper Riyan Parag’s disappointing IPL 2026 campaign continues to raise serious questions, with the Assam batter managing just 88 runs in eight matches and failing to justify either his place in the batting order or the franchise’s decision to hand him the captaincy.
Parag, whose appointment as captain had already sparked debate given the presence of established Indian stars like Yashasvi Jaiswal and Dhruv Jurel in the squad, has struggled badly with both form and impact. His poor tally has come at an underwhelming strike rate of 112.82, with a highest score of only 20 — numbers far below expectations for a top-order batter leading a franchise with playoff ambitions.
While Rajasthan Royals batting coach Vikram Rathour publicly backed the under-fire skipper, insisting that “nothing is going wrong” and pointing to his performances in the nets, the reality on the field tells a different story.
“There is nothing going wrong with him. He is batting well in the nets. He is working hard,” Rathour said, even as Parag’s repeated failures continue to hurt the team’s momentum.His returns look even poorer when compared to teammates who have carried Rajasthan’s batting unit this season. Young sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has piled up 357 runs at a blistering strike rate above 234, while Yashasvi Jaiswal has contributed 255 runs and Dhruv Jurel 232, leaving Parag far behind despite his leadership role.
With the tournament entering a crucial phase, patience may not last forever, and unless Parag finds form quickly, questions around his captaincy and place in the XI are only likely to grow louder. (PTI)
