Riyan Parag is set to take over as the next captain of the Rajasthan Royals (RR) for the upcoming IPL 2026 season, ESPNcricinfo reported. The promotion follows the departure of former captain Sanju Samson to Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in a trade deal that brought all-rounders Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran to RR.

Parag, 24, has previously led RR during the 2025 season when Samson missed eight matches due to injury. In that stint, Parag led the team to two wins out of eight games and averaged 38.57 with the bat, finishing with a career-best 95 against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at Eden Gardens.

According to ESPNcricinfo, Parag was among a select group of players interviewed by head coach Kumar Sangakkara before the final decision on captaincy was made.

The appointment also comes after RR parted ways with Rahul Dravid, who stepped down as head coach following a disappointing 2025 season where RR finished second from bottom with just four wins in 14 matches.

Since making his IPL debut in 2019, Parag has remained a mainstay in RR’s lineup. He played every game in the past two seasons and has amassed 1,566 runs and seven wickets across 84 matches for the franchise. His 2024 IPL performance was particularly impressive, scoring 573 runs at an average of 52.09 with a strike rate of 149.21, cementing his reputation as a dependable middle-order batsman.

Samson, who represented RR for 11 seasons, had expressed a desire for a change after the last IPL season and requested release from the franchise. His move to CSK completes a major reshuffle in the IPL ahead of the 2026 season, with RR looking to rebuild under fresh leadership and a revamped squad.