Riyan Parag poised to assume full-time captaincy of Rajasthan Royals
Riyan Parag has been one of the standout batters for Rajasthan Royals over the past few years. The young talent is now poised to be named the full-time captain of Rajasthan Royals (RR) ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026. According to sources close to the situation, Khel Now reports that the franchise plans to make a leadership change amid Sanju Samson’s expected move to Chennai Super Kings (CSK). Sanju Samson, who has led RR since 2021, is on the verge of leaving the team. The five-time IPL champions CSK are eager to acquire the wicketkeeper-batter through a trade. If that doesn’t materialize, Samson will enter the mini-auction, where Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and CSK are expected to compete for him. With Samson likely to depart, Riyan Parag is set to take over as the full-time captain. The franchise also aims to build a long-term relationship with the Assam-based batting all-rounder. Parag has consistently delivered strong performances with the bat in recent seasons, while also contributing with his bowling. A source close to the matter said, “Rajasthan Royals will be appointing Parag as full-time captain. The franchise is looking for a long-term association with the all-rounder.” On Sanju Samson, the source added, “Chennai Super Kings are looking to trade Sanju Samson ahead of IPL 2026. If the trade doesn’t go through and he enters the auction, CSK and KKR will fiercely compete for him.” Riyan Parag stepped in as captain of the Rajasthan Royals during IPL 2025 in the absence of Sanju Samson. Riyan Parag led the team for a significant part of the season, initially taking charge when Samson was sidelined with a finger injury in the early matches. Later in the mid-season, when Samson suffered a hamstring injury, Parag once again took the helm. As captain, Riyan Parag demonstrated solid composure, even though he couldn’t guide the Royals to a championship. He led by example with the bat, scoring 393 runs at an impressive strike rate of over 166, including a standout innings of 95 against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). If Riyan Parag is appointed full-time captain, it will mark the start of a new chapter for Rajasthan Royals. Sanju Samson has long been the face of the franchise, and with his expected departure, Parag will carry a heavy mantle moving forward. Riyan Parag will be eager to turn the team’s fortunes around and chase their second IPL title — their first and only championship came in the very first edition of the tournament back in 2008. Sign Up Fast For E2bet And Enjoy A Free Bonus On Your First Registration
Shreyas Iyer Shares Injury Update After RR Clash: ‘I Got Hit, Not Sure What Happened’
IPL 2025, PBKS vs RR: Shreyas Iyer Reveals Why He Was Subbed Out Against Rajasthan Royals Punjab Kings Edge Closer to Playoffs Amid Shreyas Iyer Injury Drama Punjab Kings inched closer to an IPL 2025 playoff spot with a hard-fought 10-run victory over Rajasthan Royals at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur. However, the match took an unexpected turn when PBKS skipper Shreyas Iyer was subbed out due to injury, with Harpreet Brar coming in as the impact substitute and Shashank Singh taking over the captaincy. Post-match, Iyer revealed he had injured his forefinger during a Saturday practice session and was unsure of the severity. “I don’t know what has happened. Yesterday, while practising, I got hit. I’ll have to check with the physios,” he said during the presentation ceremony. Despite the captain’s absence, Punjab Kings put up a strong performance, defending a total of 219. Rajasthan Royals started aggressively, with Yashasvi Jaiswal and young sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi helping the team post the fastest team fifty of IPL 2025. But their middle and lower order once again faltered under pressure. Dhruv Jurel’s late surge brought the Royals close, but Arshdeep Singh and Marco Jansen held their nerve, successfully defending 30 runs in the final two overs. Reflecting on the win, Iyer praised his team’s attitude: “I was just passing on the message to keep positive body language. I’m proud of every player for showing bold intent.” Harpreet Brar the game-changer Left-arm spinner Harpreet Brar turned out to be the match-winner for Punjab Kings, claiming three crucial wickets in their narrow 10-run win over Rajasthan Royals. Brar dismissed Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Riyan Parag, halting Rajasthan’s momentum just when they looked poised to chase down the target of 219. “He has been consistent in the nets. He was hungry for this opportunity and today he stepped in and delivered at his best,” said skipper Shreyas Iyer. “His mindset has been tremendous throughout. The boys came in fresh after the break and showed the spirit to win, no matter the situation.” The victory propelled Punjab Kings to the second spot on the IPL 2025 points table. Now, if Gujarat Titans beat Delhi Capitals in their next match, PBKS, GT, and Royal Challengers Bengaluru will officially secure their playoff berths. Sign Up Fast For E2Bet And Enjoy A Free Bonus On Your First Registration!
“Parag, Samson, Jaiswal Have Played Enough Cricket…” – RR Coach Doesn’t Hold Back After Another Last-Over Defeat
RR suffered a narrow one-run defeat to the Knight Riders, marking their eighth loss of IPL 2025 on Sunday. Vikram Rathour Reflects on RR’s Struggles After Narrow Defeat to KKR Rajasthan Royals’ batting coach Vikram Rathour wore his disappointment on Sunday after the team’s narrow loss to Kolkata Knight Riders at Eden Gardens in IPL 2025. Despite being eliminated from the playoff race, RR came agonizingly close to ruining KKR’s chances, needing only three runs off the last ball. However, Rinku Singh’s run out sealed a 1-run victory for KKR. This was not the first time RR had found themselves in winning positions only to falter at crucial moments. “If I’m counting right, it’s the fourth game where we got into a position where we should have won, but we were unable to finish off. That’s the kind of season we’ve had so far,” Rathour said, acknowledging the team’s recurring inability to close out games. While individual performances have been strong, Rathour dismissed the idea that inexperience was to blame. “I won’t say that. Riyan (Parag), Dhruv (Jurel), Nitish (Rana), Sanju (Samson), (Yashasvi) Jaiswal—they’ve played enough cricket now to call them inexperienced.” Instead, Rathour pointed to injuries as a key factor affecting RR’s performance. “What I would say is that injuries haven’t helped. We’re missing Sanju and definitely missing Sandeep (Sharma) in the team,” he added. Rathour’s frustration was evident as he reflected on the team’s collective underperformance. “Mostly all the batters have scored runs. They are in good form or batting well in the nets, but it hasn’t happened collectively. Similarly, in bowling, we’ve seen some really good spells individually, but as a group, maybe we haven’t collectively performed,” Rathour said. Fielding has also been an area of concern. “Maybe the fielding hasn’t helped a great deal. So yeah, a lot of things didn’t go our way this season, and there are a lot of areas to focus on and get better at,” he concluded. No lack of motivation Despite Rajasthan Royals’ struggles in IPL 2025, batting coach Vikram Rathour remains confident that motivation will not be a concern for his players in the remaining games of the season. “When you’re playing, I think, the best league in the world, that should be motivation enough. Every game is an opportunity to show your skills, how good you are, and you’re competing against these world-class bowlers. So I think everybody’s motivation should never be an issue, and you’re playing in IPL, whether you’ve qualified or not,” he emphasized. Sign Up Fast For E2Bet And Enjoy A Free Bonus On Your First Registration!
Rajasthan Royals: “If choking is an art then RR is Picasso of it” – Fans slam Rajasthan Royals for bottling another easy chase in RR vs LSG IPL 2025 match
Rajasthan Royals: Fans on social media criticized Rajasthan Royals for failing to complete relatively straightforward chases in consecutive matches in IPL 2025. RR fell short by two runs against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in Jaipur and made a mess of the chase, which they were dominating until the 18th over. LSG batted first and got off to a disappointing start, losing three wickets inside 10 overs. However, Aiden Markram (66) and Ayush Badoni (50) provided a solid base, while Abdul Samad (30*) added a final flourish to help them reach 180/5. Wanindu Hasaranga took two wickets for RR. In the second innings, the Royals got off to a superb start, scoring 61 runs off the first six overs, courtesy of Yashasvi Jaiswal and debutant Vaibhav Suryavanshi (34). Jaiswal and Riyan Parag were on track to complete the chase with 25 needed off the last three overs. However, Avesh Khan bowled a toe-crushing yorker to send Jaiswal packing for 74 off 52 balls. In the same over, he trapped Parag (39) as well, which changed the complexion of the game. The Royals needed nine off the last over, similar to the last game against Delhi Capitals, which they tied and eventually lost in a super over. This time, they couldn’t score those runs against Avesh and lost by two runs. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sportskeeda Cricket (@sportskeedacricket) Fans criticized Rajasthan Royals for their defeat and also their choice of retentions ahead of the IPL 2025 auction. One of them wrote: “If choking is an art then RR is Picasso of it” If choking is an art then RR is Picasso of it 🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/mQmPvkMKGf — TukTuk Academy (@TukTuk_Academy) April 19, 2025 What a choke what a royal choke. Another win for LSG out of no where.Yuck RR is such a trash team — Archer (@poserarcher) April 19, 2025 Rajasthan Royals Retained Shimron Hetmyer, Riyan Parag And Dhruv Jurel In Place Of Jos Buttler, Yuzi Chahal And Trent Boult. I Thought RR Has The Worst Management But There Is No Worse Management Than RR. pic.twitter.com/quEyO76X2R — Aufridi Chumtya (@ShuhidAufridi) April 19, 2025 Here are the other reactions: “Still can’t believe LSG won this game… This is fckn epic bottling by RR… back to back games, they’ve bottled from nowhere,” a user wrote. “Not even an RR fan but it feels sad to see downfall of a team who was doing pretty well in recent years. You should have retained [Jos] Buttler and Yuzi [Yuzvendra Chahal],” another commented. “This team is hugely missing Buttler. There’s no player who can score 9-10 runs per over in the middle overs and accelerate when needed. This is absolutely embarrassing!” a user tweeted. Rajasthan Royals sustain fourth consecutive loss in IPL 2025 Rajasthan Royals began IPL 2025 with two losses on the trot. However, they opened their account in the third game and won the fourth comfortably as well. Since then, they have lost four consecutive matches, including the two heartbreaking defeats against DC and LSG. They are positioned eighth in the points table with only two victories from eight appearances. RR will next face Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium on April 24. It will be interesting to see whether skipper Sanju Samson will be fit for the game, having missed the LSG game due to an injury. Welcome to E2Bet! Play Thrilling Games And Win Exciting Bonus!