Rajasthan Royals captain Riyan Parag admitted he wasn’t overly downbeat after a heavy loss in Qualifier 2 at the New Chandigarh Stadium on Friday night, even as he looked back on a 2026 IPL campaign that delivered plenty of positives for his group. Chasing an all-important finish, RR’s run ended with Gujarat Titans getting the better of them, but Parag felt the manner of their season and the promise shown by several young players deserved recognition.
Key takeaways
- Rajasthan Royals were defeated in Qualifier 2 at the New Chandigarh Stadium on Friday night.
- RR posted 214 after batting first versus Gujarat Titans, driven by Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s 96 off 47 balls.
- Parag believed the total was “defendable” but said RR needed their openers to start strongly.
- Sooryavanshi has 776 runs at an average of 48.50 with a strike rate of 237.30, leading the Orange Cap race at present.
- Qualifier 2 sets up Gujarat Titans against Royal Challengers Bengaluru at Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad, on Sunday.
Parag’s assessment of RR’s total and the pitch
After Rajasthan’s innings, Parag struck an optimistic tone about the overall effort. He acknowledged there was a minor dip in the middle overs that prevented RR from adding extra runs, yet he still felt the score they set was not a poor one.
Parag explained that the pitch appeared to play differently across innings. In his view, the first innings offered the bowlers some grip, allowing the slower options to come into the contest, while the second innings brought a more favorable rhythm for batting. He also suggested a higher target might have been more challenging for the opposition, but he stopped short of regretting 214 outright.
“It was a par score; it was defendable. I felt after the heavy roller, it got better in the second innings. In the first innings, the bowlers got some grip, and the slower ones did well. I thought 230 would have been a par score. A score around 240 would have been challenging, but we needed the openers to shine early. It didn’t happen, and it became tough for us,” Parag said following the match.
Confidence in the young core and praise for Sooryavanshi
Parag also pointed to how few people expected Rajasthan to progress as far as they did in the tournament. He framed the campaign as a learning curve, but one that produced performances from youngsters who can only improve with more exposure and experience.
“To sum it up in one sentence, there were many positives. We weren’t supposed to qualify, given that many players were young and inexperienced, but many youngsters performed well and can only improve from here,” he added.
Much of the praise, however, centred on Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. Parag described him as Rajasthan’s standout performer this season and highlighted both his output and his calm temperament during the innings. Sooryavanshi’s 96 off 47 balls played a major role in RR reaching 214, even though the team’s finish wasn’t as strong as it could have been.
Parag also emphasized that Sooryavanshi’s batting goes beyond raw hitting. With 776 runs at an average of 48.50 and a strike rate of 237.30, Sooryavanshi is currently leading the Orange Cap race. Parag’s comments underlined how the youngster appeared to “calculate” and place shots rather than simply chase boundaries.
“I can’t put it into words, there’s one way where you slog and score many runs. But he doesn’t slog—you could see his innings today. He calculates and plays his shots. I can’t say how, but hopefully he will go on to do well in his career, do well for Rajasthan Royals and win us a second title,” Parag concluded.
What comes next for Gujarat Titans
With the result in Qualifier 2, Gujarat Titans will take on defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the next match. The showdown is scheduled for Sunday at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
Because it is their home venue, Gujarat Titans are expected to feel comfortable with conditions and support, adding further confidence as they prepare for the title decider against RCB.
