Former India captain Krishnamachari Srikkanth has sparked debate over Riyan Parag’s appointment as Rajasthan Royals captain ahead of IPL 2026, suggesting that the 24-year-old could benefit from preferential support within the team.
Parag will take over the leadership role from Sanju Samson, who was traded to the Chennai Super Kings for Rs 18 crore in a high-profile deal, while Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran went in the opposite direction ahead of the mini-auction in December.
Srikanth, speaking on his YouTube channel, questioned the decision to hand over the captaincy to Parag instead of a more established player in the team. “Everyone knows how he became captain. It was their decision, but he was treated like a king there. Parag had a bad season last year, but the year before that, he was brilliant. Last year, he didn’t do anything fatal,” he said.
With Samson out injured last season, Parag has led the Royals to just two wins in eight games. Despite this record, the team favored him over other contenders such as Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel and newly acquired Jadeja.
However, Parag’s individual performance allowed people to see his offensive potential. He scored 393 runs at a strike rate of 166.52 last season and etched his name in IPL history by becoming the first player to hit six consecutive sixes in an innings, achieving the milestone in IPL 2025 against Kolkata Knight Riders.
Parag was selected in the 2017 IPL as a teenager and has been a regular for the Rajasthan Royals. In 84 games, he accumulated 1566 runs, including seven half-centuries, although inconsistency was often a talking point.
Srikanth gave a mixed take on the Royals’ chances. While acknowledging their potential, he warned of their unpredictability. “This is a good team. They have the potential to frustrate other teams. But they are also a team that will self-destruct. However, if two teams in the top five click, they will crush their opponents. Jaiswal-Suryavanshi’s start is their biggest strength. They have the ability to win games single-handedly. So they are a good team, but not a dangerous team. They are not a championship-winning team. Even for playoff qualification, they are 50-50,” he commented.