Rajasthan Royals skipper Riyan Parag acknowledged that he is dealing with a difficult stretch during the early part of IPL 2026, yet insisted that he will not slow his mindset down just to protect his score. Speaking candidly after the match, Parag said he understands the importance of adapting his batting to what the team requires—whether that means accelerating or playing longer.
Parag, who had been handed the captain’s role, has managed 81 runs across seven innings at an average of 13.50. On Wednesday, he was dismissed for 20 against Lucknow Super Giants. He could not make the most of a promising start, but he remains supported by his franchise.
“Everyone has been very supportive,” Parag said after the game. “I’ve been going through a phase as well. Right before the IPL, I had gone through something, and even now I’m going through something and everyone understands that. Everyone respects that, and I thank them for that.
“I feel the way I’m batting—[a big] innings is not too far away. But as I’ve been saying, if I go in tomorrow and I play another game, it’s going to be about what the team needs. It’s not about me not scoring runs and taking my time, getting 40 off 30—that’s not going to happen. I go out there, assess conditions; if they want me to go to 200 from ball one, I do that.”
Parag’s dismissal came when RR were 62 for 4. The Royals had slipped to 110 for 6, but Ravindra Jadeja helped them rebuild, taking the innings to 159 with help from the lower-middle order. Even then, LSG were still 20 runs behind the mark, leaving the chase short.
“Firstly, I feel we were really short with the bat. The way the wicket was playing when me and Hetty [Shimron Hetmyer] were batting, I think we’ve got to be better.
“I thought, honestly, even with the situation we had, we were close to getting 180, and that would have been a really good score because I knew it was going to be slowing down later, but yeah, the bowlers, they did pretty well.”
RR’s bowling effort lived up to that assessment. The breakthrough momentum started with Jofra Archer and Nandre Burger, who each delivered three overs during the powerplay and ended with matching figures of 1 for 15. The fielding also played a decisive role, with sub-fielder Ravi Singh involved in the run-out of Ayush Badoni—an “impressive” display that underlined RR’s control in the field.
“For two bowlers to bowl three in the powerplay at this stage of the game or how T20 cricket is evolving, I think it’s just commendable. The wicket was helping a little more to the seamers in the first innings, but then the second innings we knew it would swing. Still, the lengths they bowled, the lines they bowled, and the way we fielded… impressive.”
In the end, Rajasthan Royals defeated Lucknow Super Giants by 40 runs, sealing their fifth victory in seven matches and climbing to second place on the points table. They will return to Jaipur next, where they face Sunrisers Hyderabad on April 25.
