Why Rajasthan Royals Chose Riyan Parag Over Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel As Captain? IPL Team Answers 'Very Tough Questions'
Rajasthan Royals, right from the inaugural 2008 IPL, has been a team that always tends to believe in the philosophy that "the whole is greater than the sum of the parts."
- Riyan Parag was named Rajasthan Royals captain for IPL 2026 over Indian team regulars
- RR head coach Kumar Sangakkara said Parag was chosen because of his familiarity with the role and the side
- Seven captains have led Rajasthan Royals since 2008, including Shane Warne and Rahul Dravid
Rajasthan Royals, right from the inaugural 2008 IPL, has been a team that always tends to believe in the philosophy that "the whole is greater than the sum of the parts." This has been reflected in their personnel choices as well as their captaincy. They did not shy away from giving the great Shane Warne a mentor-cum-captain role. They were not even averse to a young Sanju Samson taking over the mantle of captaincy. Now, instead of going for a superstar, RR have again put the team ethos first and named Riyan Parag as the captain.
The young all-rounder was chosen over the likes of Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ravindra Jadeja, and Dhruv Jurel-all of whom are Indian cricket team regulars. Kumar Sangakkara, head coach of RR, and co-owner Manoj Badale, gave a sneak peek into how "very tough questions" were asked before zeroing in on Parag.
Listen to this video for a detailed analysis of what went into naming Riyan Parag the skipper. IN the same video, Parag talks about his equation with Sanju Samson, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Dhruv Jurel.
Built here. Tested here. Trusted here.
— Rajasthan Royals (@rajasthanroyals) February 13, 2026
Rajasthan, your new captain is here.
Inside the decision that opens a new chapter. Watch the final episode of pic.twitter.com/0d0HAkrC0d
The announcement comes after former skipper Sanju Samson was traded to Chennai Super Kings ahead of the auction, bringing an end to his four-season tenure at the helm.A total of seven captains have led Rajasthan Royals since 2008, guiding the franchise to one IPL title and six knockout appearances.
Interestingly, only Australians and Indians have captained the side in the tournament's history.Rajasthan Royals' leadership story began with the late Shane Warne, who guided a young and relatively inexperienced squad to the inaugural IPL title in 2008. Across four seasons (2008-2011), Warne captained the side in 56 matches, winning 31, and shaped the franchise's fearless, youth-focused identity. He held the record for most wins as Royals captain until it was broken in IPL 2025.
Rahul Dravid succeeded him in 2012 at the age of 39, carrying forward the culture Warne had built. Dravid led the Royals to a third-place finish in 2013 and to the Champions League final that year. With 23 wins in 40 matches (57.50%), he remains the franchise's most successful captain by win percentage and later returned as head coach ahead of IPL 2025.
The captaincy then passed through Shane Watson, who led the side to the playoffs in 2015, and Ajinkya Rahane, who steered the team to a fourth-place finish in IPL 2018. Steve Smith later took charge, winning 15 of his 27 matches and ranking second to Dravid in win percentage among Royals captains.
Sanju Samson assumed leadership in 2021 and became the franchise's most successful captain in terms of total wins, leading the side in 67 matches and winning 33. He guided Rajasthan to the IPL final in 2022-their first since 2008-and two playoff appearances overall. In 2025, Samson surpassed Warne's records for most matches and most wins as Royals skipper.
His subsequent trade to the Chennai Super Kings marks a new phase for the franchise as it heads into IPL 2026.Parag is familiar with leadership roles. In IPL 2025, the 23-year-old served as the stand-in captain for the Royals during their first three matches against Sunrisers Hyderabad, Kolkata Knight Riders, and Chennai Super Kings while Samson was recovering from injury and only cleared to bat.When Parag led the team against Sunrisers Hyderabad on March 23, 2025, he became the youngest captain in Rajasthan Royals history and the fifth-youngest in IPL history overall.
In IPL 2025, he captained eight matches, achieving two wins and six losses.Now taking on the full-time role for IPL 2026, Parag steps into a position rich in history. From Warne's championship strategy to Samson's close calls and playoff efforts, the Rajasthan Royals' captaincy has frequently shaped the franchise's path.
Rajasthan Royals