Kamal Ghorui
Former India captain Krishnamachari Srikkanth has stirred debate over Riyan Parag being appointed captain of Rajasthan Royals ahead of IPL 2026, suggesting that the 24-year-old may have benefited from preferential backing within the franchise.Parag is set to take over the leadership role from Sanju Samson, who was traded to Chennai Super Kings for Rs 18 crore in a high-profile deal that saw Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran move in the opposite direction ahead of the mini-auction last December.Speaking on his YouTube channel, Srikkanth questioned the decision to hand Parag the captaincy over more established names within the squad. “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,” he said.With Samson sidelined due to injury last season, Parag had already led the Royals in eight matches, managing just two wins. Despite that record, the franchise backed him ahead of other contenders such as Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel and the newly acquired Jadeja.Parag’s individual performances, however, offered glimpses of his attacking potential. He scored 393 runs at a strike rate of 166.52 last season and also etched his name in IPL history by becoming the first player to smash six consecutive sixes in a single innings, achieving the milestone against Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2025.Having been picked as a teenager in IPL 2017, Parag has remained a constant presence for Rajasthan Royals. Across 84 matches, he has accumulated 1566 runs, including seven half-centuries, though inconsistency has often been a talking point.Assessing the Royals’ chances, Srikkanth offered a mixed outlook. While acknowledging their potential, he warned about their unpredictability. “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,” he remarked.
