Rajasthan Royals Accused Of Unfair Treatment; Riyan Parag Under Fire

Riyan Parag [Source: AFP]In a significant development, the Rajasthan Royals have been accused of treating their core players unfairly after the appointment of Riyan Parag as the captain ahead of IPL 2026. The departure of Sanju Samson to CSK opened a massive void in the RR leadership group, which Parag eventually filled by replacing the outgoing skipper. Riyan Parag joined the Rajasthan Royals camp in 2019 after the inaugural IPL champions purchased him in the auction. He eventually became an integral member of the team, powering the Royals to many memorable wins. Riyan Parag appointed Rajasthan Royals captain for IPL 2026Riyan Parag had his first breakthrough season for RR in 2024, where he hammered 573 runs at an average of 52.09 and a strike rate of 149.22. So, considering his consistent returns in the tournament, Parag was handed the captaincy responsibilities following a historic trade that saw Sanju Samson shifting his base from RR to CSK. Although senior players like Yashasvi Jaiswal and Dhruv Jurel were reportedly in the captaincy race, Rajasthan Royals coach Kumar Sangakkara finalised Parag as the captain for the upcoming season. Despite the fans accusing the Royals of unfair treatment towards Jaiswal, the RR opener congratulated Parag and wished him the very best for the IPL 2026. Kris Srikkanth takes dig at Riyan Parag, accuses RR of unfair treatmentWhile Yashasvi Jaiswal's gesture suggested he shares a great camaraderie with the newly appointed captain, former Indian cricketer Kris Srikkanth believes the Rajasthan Royals ill-treated the seniors by replacing Samson with Parag. Recently, Sanju Samson's father accused Riyan Parag of backstabbing his son, while Srikkanth consolidated those allegations with his claims. Also read: Yashasvi Jaiswal Sent As Rajasthan Royals' Captain Instead Of Riyan Parag In IPL's Official ProgramSpeaking on his YouTube channel, the 1983 World Cup winner reckoned that the Rajasthan Royals give special treatment to Parag, while in reality, he has done nothing significant for the franchise over the years. “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,” Kris Srikkanth said on his YouTube channel, as quoted by Express Sports. Although Parag batted exceptionally in the IPL 2024, he registered middling numbers in four consecutive seasons prior to that. Statistically, Parag managed only 440 runs in 39 innings between 2020 and 2023. However, the Royals kept patience with the young cricketer, as he had shown a lot of promise in youth cricket heading to his maiden IPL auction. IPL 2026: Riyan Parag's best chance to silence his criticsWhile Parag has blown hot and cold for Rajasthan Royals, amassing 1566 runs at an average of 26.10, he must lead his team from the front after being appointed as the captain. Sanju Samson was undoubtedly the most significant member of the RR batting lineup for a long time before leaving the franchise to become a part of the Super Kings. Parag has an abysmal captaincy record, having lost six out of eight matches as the Royals' skipper. Thus, the IPL 2026 gives Parag a golden opportunity to prove his mettle as a batter and captain and silence his critics in the Rajasthan Royals colours. Also read: Unsold IPL 2026 Player Set To Join Hyderabad Team As Replacement