Riyan Parag Yashasvi Jaiswal for Rajasthan Royals. Image Credits: AFP/X
The Indian Premier League is the biggest celebration of cricket in India, and ahead of it, multiple ad campaigns and brand shoots take place to build hype around the tournament.
Similarly, to boost this high-energy vibe for the audience, the cricket body organised a collaborative shoot featuring the captains of all 10 teams coming together for a music video, which saw Yashasvi Jaiswal representing the Rajasthan Royals.
This deliberate move to send in Yashasvi Jaiswal instead of Riyan Parag subtly hints at brand and franchise image preferences for the Royals, even though Parag is the new skipper for IPL 2026.
How Riyan Parag Became The New Rajasthan Royals Skipper?
For the unaware, Riyan was announced as the captain of Rajasthan Royals on February 13, replacing Sanju Samson, who moved to the Chennai Super Kings following a trade involving Ravindra Jadeja.
Although Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ravindra Jadeja, as well as Riyan Parag were in contention, the 24-year-old Parag, who has previously led Rajasthan Royals, was selected after an intensive interview with head coach Kumar Sangakkara before being finalised as captain.
In IPL 2025, out of 14 matches, Parag led the franchise in eight games after Sanju Samson was sidelined due to injury. However, he struggled to deliver results, with RR winning only two of those eight matches.
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Despite that, Parag averaged a healthy 38.57 during that period, including a career-best 95 against the Kolkata Knight Riders. While Jaiswal was reportedly a primary choice as per rumours, Parag ultimately made the final cut.
The duo shares a close bond, with Parag revealing that Jaiswal was among the first to congratulate him after the captaincy announcement.
Yashasvi Jaiswal Becomes New Face Of RR for IPL 2026
Nevertheless, despite Parag being the face of Rajasthan Royals in brand campaigns after his appointment, the decision to send Jaiswal for the Star Sports shoot for IPL 2026 has created subtle intrigue among fans.
The ad shoot featured a behind-the-scenes video for Star Sports, with Delhi Capitals captain Axar Patel, Sunrisers Hyderabad’s stand-in captain Ishan Kishan, Punjab Kings skipper Shreyas Iyer, and CSK captain Ruturaj Gaikwad present for the promotional video.
However, Riyan Parag was notably absent, while Jaiswal was seen shooting content. While this may not seem significant at first glance, brand image remains a crucial aspect for IPL franchises.
If Yashasvi Jaiswal is being positioned as the poster boy for the Rajasthan Royals, it raises questions about the decision to appoint Parag as captain. Notably, Jaiswal does not have any captaincy experience, whereas Parag has led teams on multiple occasions.
RR IPL 2026 Schedule
Rajasthan Royals will kick off their campaign against Chennai Super Kings on March 30 in Guwahati, where local talent Riyan Parag will lead the side. They will then face Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad, followed by two home matches against Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
Their clash against RCB on April 10 will conclude the first phase of their campaign, with further fixtures to be announced later due to elections in multiple states.
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