Rajasthan Royals turned heads after trading its marquee player and captain Sanju Samson to Chennai Super Kings in exchange for Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran. Royals’ decision to elevate Riyan Parag to the captain’s role surprised many, including former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar.
“From a cricketing point of view, I don’t think it makes any sense at all. I think it’s a bit harsh to say this, but he’s just got too much as a reward, not having really worked hard for those rewards,” he said on Sportstar’s Insight Edge Podcast.
Riyan had earlier captained the side in Samson’s absence due to injury in the 2025 season. Manjrekar found the constant backing for Riyan, despite middling performances over the seasons, strange.
The 24-year-old—who is the youngest captain in the IPL this season—has scored 207 runs at an average of 23 with a strike rate of 143.75, while leading the team to six wins and four losses in 10 games. Barring a breakout season in 2024, where he scored 573 runs in 14 innings, averaging 52.09 and striking at 149.21, his numbers have been ordinary.
“After the kind of performances that I’ve seen over the years, I find it a little strange that Rajasthan Royals have backed him so much,” he explained.
Barring a breakout season in 2024 where he scored 573 runs in 14 innings, averaging 52.09 and striking at 149.21, Riyan’s numbers have been ordinary.
Barring a breakout season in 2024 where he scored 573 runs in 14 innings, averaging 52.09 and striking at 149.21, Riyan’s numbers have been ordinary.
“It is a case I’ve never understood. The only conclusion that I can draw is that the franchise and its management really like him as a talent and as a personality. They also saw some leadership qualities and backed him. We should also accept that when he plays like he did the other day, when he scored 90-odd, you can see the obvious talent he has.
“What catches your eye with Riyan Parag is the unbelievable self-confidence that he shows. Even when he was not delivering, if you saw him in the field and the kind of stuff that he did, it was a lot of sort of doing things to get the attention. It was just almost arrogance for somebody who was struggling to fit in or deliver. So, it tells me about a person who has this confidence and it seems to be genuine. It doesn’t seem to be a put-on.”
Published on May 06, 2026