Rajasthan Royals captain Riyan Parag left the IPL 2026 campaign with his chin up, even after the side’s run ended at the second-last stage. In Qualifier 2 on Friday, the Royals were beaten by Gujarat Titans by seven wickets, with Vaibhav Sooryavanshi delivering another eye-catching innings of 96 off 47 balls. Still, Gujarat’s top order set the tone early and carried the chase to the finish.
The match swung heavily in favour of the Titans after their openers stitched a massive start. Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan put together a 167-run opening stand, taking Gujarat into the final with the required momentum. Parag acknowledged that his team didn’t manage to meet the challenge, even as he singled out Sooryavanshi for special praise.
Quick facts
- Rajasthan Royals were eliminated from IPL 2026 in Qualifier 2.
- Result: Gujarat Titans won by seven wickets.
- Vaibhav Sooryavanshi top-scored for RR with 96 off 47 balls.
- Gill and Sai Sudharsan produced a 167-run opening partnership for GT.
- RR made 215 runs in the match.
During the post-match presentation, Parag spoke with admiration for the young Sooryavanshi’s approach. He said it wasn’t merely a case of hitting from ball one, but a batting performance built on calculation, reading conditions, and doing the fundamentals repeatedly well.
The Royals skipper then added a clear call to action for Indian selection. In a move that mirrors the growing chatter around Sooryavanshi’s progress, Parag urged the BCCI to consider the youngster for a senior national selection.
Several former India players also felt the timing is right for a T20I debut for Sooryavanshi. While a few voices remain slightly cautious, the wider argument is that his role as an IPL captain in his own right has added another layer of support for his selection case.
Parag’s message was blunt in its confidence. He described how runs often come from slogging, but insisted Sooryavanshi’s knock contained more than that—highlighting his ability to assess situations and execute accordingly, even under pressure. The captain said he hopes the teenager continues to play with that same intelligence and earns the chance to represent the country, while also steering Rajasthan toward a second championship.
What Parag said about Qualifier 2
Turning to the game itself, Parag called RR’s 215 a par score, but pointed to how the pitch behaved differently after the interval. He felt the wicket offered more grip for the spinners during the first innings, with shorter, slower deliveries holding up more on the surface.
In his view, the chase became easier for Gujarat because the track improved in the second half. Parag noted that after the heavy roller, the conditions changed enough to help GT in their chase, even though Rajasthan’s total remained within reach of defence on paper.
He also reflected on how close the Royals were to a bigger target. Parag said that at one point it looked like 230 could be on the cards, and in games of this size those extra 15 to 20 runs can reshape the difficulty of the chase. With 215, he explained, Rajasthan needed early breakthroughs against Gujarat’s openers, but they didn’t manage that.
After the match, Parag also made what many would call an unexpected comment about expectations for the season. He suggested that, given the number of youngsters and less experienced players in the squad, the Royals were not meant to reach the playoff stage in the first place.
But he leaned into the positives from Rajasthan’s journey. Parag said the team’s young faces, limited IPL experience, and frequent experiments with combinations and transitions were all part of the learning curve. Still, he argued that the character shown by the players—and the progress they achieved by reaching that point—was a strong foundation for a longer journey ahead.
