IPL 2026: Who will replace Sanju Samson as RR captain?
What's the story
As the Rajasthan Royals (RR) gear up for a major revamp ahead of the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL), two players have emerged as potential successors to current captain Sanju Samson. Wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel and opener Yashasvi Jaiswal are in contention for the top job, as per Times of India. The franchise is expected to make a final decision on this matter soon, with head coach Kumar Sangakkara and team owners likely playing key roles in the process.
Franchise overhaul
Major changes in RR camp
The RR franchise has been making headlines with its recent changes, including a coaching staff shake-up. Former Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara has returned as head coach. The franchise is also said to be trading Samson to Chennai Super Kings (CSK) for Ravindra Jadeja and either Sam Curran or Matheesha Pathirana. Under Samson's captaincy, RR has played 67 matches, winning and losing an equal number of games (33 each).
Captaincy race
Jurel, Jaiswal leading candidates for captaincy
With Samson's potential exit, the RR camp is now focused on finding a new captain. Jurel and Jaiswal are the leading candidates for the role. Both players are close to Sangakkara and were reportedly told to prepare for captaincy during their recent trip to England. Sources suggest that Jurel could be preferred over Jaiswal due to his all-round capabilities as a wicketkeeper-batter.
Venue change
RR considering venue shift for IPL 2026
The Rajasthan Royals franchise has been at odds with the Rajasthan Cricket Association (RCA) over ticket distribution. Now, the franchise is also looking for a new venue, considering a shift from Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur to ACA Stadium in Guwahati, Assam. However, the team wants to settle the captaincy issue amid ongoing trade talks involving Samson before finalizing their plans. Intrestingly, Riyan Parag led RR in a few games in IPL 2025 when Samson was unavailable.
Stats
Here are their IPL numbers
Jaiswal, who has been associated with RR since his IPL debut in 2020, has overall mustered 2,166 runs from 67 IPL games at an average of 34.38 (SR: 152.85). This includes 15 fifties besides two tons. Meanwhile, Jurel owns 680 runs across 42 IPL games for RR at 28.33. He strikes at 153.84 in the competition (50s: 4).