Dhruv Jurel Reveals His Stance [Source: X.com]Ahead of the IPL 2026 season, Dhruv Jurel has made his position clear regarding the captaincy appointment of Riyan Parag at Rajasthan Royals.On Friday, Rajasthan Royals officially named Riyan Parag as their new captain. This decision marks the beginning of a new chapter for the team. The change came after former captain Sanju Samson moved to CSK. Therefore, the franchise needed a fresh leader to guide them into the upcoming season.RR appoint Riyan Parag as captainRiyan Parag, who made his IPL debut in 2019, has been one of the longest-serving players for the Royals. In fact, he has spent all seven of his IPL seasons with the same team. Because of his loyalty and steady growth over the years, the management believed he was ready to take on the leadership role. Dhruv Jurel and Yashasvi Jaiswal show supportSoon after the announcement, Dhruv Jurel shared a photo on social media that clearly showed his support for Parag. In the picture, Jurel was seen alongside Parag and Yashasvi Jaiswal. The caption read, “Always a good time with my boys 💗.”Dhruv Jurel @dhruvjurel21 Always a good time with my boys 💗 Feb 13, 2026, 10:59 PM Through this post, Dhruv Jurel not only cleared any doubts but also showed unity within the team. Moreover, Jaiswal also appeared supportive, as he was part of the photo celebrating the bond between the players.Notably, both Jaiswal and Dhruv Jurel were considered strong contenders for the captaincy after Samson’s exit. However, despite the speculation, the franchise chose Parag for the top role.According to head coach Kumar Sangakkara and co-owner Manoj Badale, the decision involved asking “very tough questions.” After carefully reviewing all options, they finally placed their trust in Parag.Interestingly, Riyan Parag had already led the team last season when Samson was unavailable due to injury. Although the team’s results were mixed, with two wins and six losses, Parag impressed with his batting performances.Riyan Parag’s leadership experienceDuring those eight matches, Parag averaged 38.57 with the bat. One of his standout moments came when he scored a career-best 95 runs against KKR at Eden Gardens. That innings showed his maturity and growing confidence as a player.Meanwhile, ahead of the IPL 2026 mini auction, the Royals made big changes. They traded Samson to CSK and brought in Jadeja and Sam Curran. As a result, many believed that either Jaiswal, Jurel, or Jadeja might become captain. Some even felt Jadeja could get the role after reportedly taking a pay cut to join the team.However, the final decision went in Parag’s favour. The stakeholders showed faith in the 24-year-old, believing he represents the future of the franchise.Since his IPL debut in 2019, Parag has played 84 matches for Rajasthan Royals. Overall, he has scored 1,566 runs and taken seven wickets. Although he did not always feature in the starting XI during his early seasons, he has become a regular player in the last two editions.His best season came in 2024, when he scored 573 runs at an impressive average of 52.09 and a strike rate of 149.21.
