Riyan Parag advises Vaibhav Suryavanshi to avoid social media
What's the story
Rajasthan Royals (RR) captain Riyan Parag has advised young Indian batting sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi to stay away from social media and press conferences. The advice comes ahead of the Indian Premier League 2026 season, which begins on March 28. Parag wants the 14-year-old prodigy to focus on his game without any external pressure or distractions.
Captain's message
Let him just enjoy, says Parag
In a pre-season press conference on Thursday, Parag stressed that Suryavanshi should be given the space and time to develop his game without any external pressure. He said, "As a captain, my message to him would be to not do a lot of press conferences or follow a lot of media." The RR captain also requested media outlets not to reach out to Suryavanshi's manager or anyone else, saying, "Let him just enjoy."
Game strategy
Aggressive approach for Suryavanshi
Parag said Suryavanshi will be given the freedom to play aggressively from the start. He also assured that his more experienced partner, Yashasvi Jaiswal, is well-prepared to handle any pressure. "Whatever pressure is going to be there, Jaiswal will handle it as he is good enough to handle that role," Parag said.
Coach's perspective
Sangakkara on RR's plans for IPL 2026
RR head coach Kumar Sangakkara isn't worried about the absence of players from the Indian side that won the T20 World Cup earlier this month. "I am more interested in the players that we have, rather than the players we don't have," he said. Sangakkara also revealed that RR aimed to add more flexibility to their squad compared to last season, focusing on batting depth and local spin.