2 min readUpdated: Mar 23, 2026 01:19 PM IST
Former India captain Krishnamachari Srikkanth made a bold claim regarding Riyan Parag’s appointment as the Rajasthan Royals captain ahead of the IPL 2026 season, hinting that the 24-year-old was backed by preferential treatment.
Parag will take over as full-time captain from Sanju Samson, whom the Royals traded for Rs 18 crore with the Chennai Super Kings in exchange for the services of Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran ahead of the mini-auction last December. Srikkanth took a dig at Parag’s appointment over other established names in the franchise.
“Everyone knows how he became the captain. That is their decision but he is treated like the king there. Parag didn’t have a good season last year, but the year before last, he did brilliantly. Last year, he didn’t do anything deadly,” claimed Srikkanth on his YouTube channel.
With Samson out injured, Parag led the Royals in eight matches last season, winning only two games. The franchise chose Parag as their skipper over the likes of Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel and the incoming Jadeja. Parag was particularly aggressive with the bat, racking up 393 runs at 166.52.
Picked up as a teenager back in IPL 2017, Parag has been a consistent face with the franchise in the period. Despite his inconsistencies, Parag has piled on 1566 runs in 84 matches for the Royals with seven half-centuries.
Srikkanth said that while the team carried some sting in its tail, RR looked like a team that could implode during the course of the forthcoming season.
“It’s a decent side. They have the potential to upset sides. But they are also a side that will self-destruct. Yet, if two in their top five click, they will smash the opposition. The Jaiswal-Suryavanshi opening stand is their biggest plus. They are capable of winning matches singlehandedly. So they are a good side but not a dangerous one. They are not a championship-winning side. They are 50-50 even for playoff qualification,” remarked Srikkanth.
