'Riyan Parag treated like...': Srikkanth takes dig at RR captain
What's the story
Former Indian cricketer Krishnamachari Srikkanth has raised eyebrows over Riyan Parag's appointment as the Rajasthan Royals (RR) captain for the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL) season. The decision comes after the franchise traded Sanju Samson to Chennai Super Kings in exchange for Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran. Despite his past performances, Srikkanth questioned the rationale behind choosing Riyan as captain over other seasoned players in the team.
Critique
Take on Riyan's captaincy
On his YouTube channel, Srikkanth said, "Everyone knows how he became the captain. That is their decision, but he is treated like the king there." He also pointed out that while Riyan had a stellar season two years ago, his performance last year was far from impressive. "Parag didn't have a good season last year," Srikkanth said.
Performance review
His journey with RR
Despite his ups and downs, Riyan has been a regular feature for the Royals since joining as a teenager in IPL 2019. He has scored 1,566 runs from 84 matches at a strike rate of 141.84. His tally includes seven half-centuries. Riyan has also taken seven wickets with his off-spin. Last season, he led RR in eight matches with only two wins under his belt. He stood in for the injured Samson.
Prospects
RR could self-destruct, says Srikkanth
Ahead of IPL 2026, RR chose Riyan over other established names like Yashasvi Jaiswal and Dhruv Jurel for the captaincy role. Srikkanth believes that while RR has the potential to upset other teams, they could also self-destruct. He said, "It's a decent side. They have the potential to upset sides. But they are also a side that will self-destruct." However, he added that if two players in their top five perform well, they could easily beat any opposition team.
Information
Second-most runs for RR in IPL 2026
Despite losing most of his matches as captain, Riyan was RR's second-highest run-scorer in IPL 2026. He smashed 393 runs from 14 games at a strike rate of 166.52. He also took three wickets.