Rajasthan Royals captain Rayan Parag (PTI Image)
Former Chennai Super Kings batsman Ambati Rayudu backed Rajasthan Royals captain
Ryan Baraj
Pointing out that the young captain has already earned the trust and respect of his teammates early in his leadership period. Rajasthan beat Gujarat Titans by six runs in a tense encounter at the Narendra Modi Stadium on April 4.
After posting 210/6, RR managed to restrict Gujarat to 204/8, registering a narrow but impressive win. Speaking during a discussion on ESPNcricinfo, Rayudu highlighted how Parag has settled into the role and how the team seems to be responding positively to his leadership. “He is doing a fantastic job and I am sure the coaching staff is giving him all the freedom. I can easily see the RR group having a lot of respect for him.
This is great to watch. When you have a young leader, the biggest challenge is to gain that respect. I can see a lot of respect for him in the team. “They seem to be enjoying themselves, which is a great sign.” Parag was handed the captaincy ahead of IPL 2026 next
Sanju Samson
Move to CSK. The 24-year-old had already gained some leadership experience last season, taking over as stand-in captain during Samson’s injury phase. Former Australia captain Aaron Finch also weighed in, citing the key factor that helped Parag step into the role with ease.
He pointed out that the absence of a big, dominant personality in the dressing room was to the advantage of the young leader. “The important thing also in this regard is when you have a young captain – there is no personality that has overshadowed that opportunity to lead the team. Often there can be resentment towards the person who got the job. He has a team of young stars. He can almost guide them through the next stage of their career and shape a generation of good players for RR.” Under Parag’s captaincy this season, Rajasthan have made a strong start, winning both their matches so far. While his individual returns with the bat were modest – 14* from 11 against CSK and 8 against GT – he contributed with the ball as well, picking up the wicket of Kumar Koshagra in the last match. With the team’s early results and strong support from former players, Parag’s stint as captain has started promisingly, both in terms of results and locker room dynamics.
