With Rajasthan Royals (RR) securing the fourth and final playoff place in IPL 2026, captain Riyan Parag revealed that he was “definitely not fit” for the season’s last league outing against Mumbai Indians (MI) and insisted he was not meant to feature in another game. Despite his return, RR delivered a decisive victory—beating MI by 30 runs at the Wankhede—and booked their spot after a tense run-in to the tournament.
Parag’s fitness and RR’s qualification equation
Parag returned to lead RR as the stakes for the final day remained straightforward: if his side won their last match, they would advance to the playoffs; if they lost, their campaign would end. He had missed RR’s previous fixture against Lucknow Super Giants due to a hamstring injury.
At the Wankhede on Sunday, Parag contributed 14 runs from eight balls. Even as RR defended a total of 205, he was seen moving around the ground cautiously.
Speaking after RR’s win over MI, Parag said, “Yeah, I’m definitely not fit… I was not supposed to play today, I’m not supposed to play another game [in this season].” When asked whether he would take part in the Eliminator against Sunrisers Hyderabad on March 27, he responded, “Yeah, of course.”
How RR turned the corner after a shaky stretch
RR had lost three matches in a row, but victories in their final two games pushed them into the playoff picture on the last day of the league phase. Parag admitted the timing of their surge wasn’t ideal, saying he was not too emotional about finally qualifying.
“We should have qualified way earlier,” he said. “We left it a little too late, I think we left a lot on the table. And I feel we’re picking up the slack after losing three games in a row. Hopefully we learn from all our mistakes and we put up a better show.”
205 at the Wankhede: MI’s late fight falls short
Chasing 206, MI managed a late push led by Suryakumar Yadav, who struck 60 off 42, and Hardik Pandya, who made 34 off 15. Still, RR held their nerve to close out a 30-run win.
Key RR tactics that paid off
Parag pointed to several bold captaincy decisions that swung the match in RR’s favour. Among the moves was promoting Jofra Archer to bat at number 7, and then bringing him back for his final over in the 16th over to target Pandya.
“I’ve taken a lot of brave calls, actually, this season,” Parag said. “But that’s how I like to lead, that’s how I lead Assam as well. Of course, different level, different things as well, but I feel you’ve got to take your chances. It’s not a gamble, but of course you think about it a lot.”
Parag’s praise for Punja and Brijesh Sharma after the chase collapse
After the match, Parag highlighted the impact of RR’s bowlers as MI’s chase was disrupted early and never fully recovered. He singled out 19-year-old Yash Raj Punja, who finished with figures of 2 for 44, along with Brijesh Sharma, who took 2 for 26.
- Parag said he doesn’t usually hand out praise, explaining it helps prevent players from getting “all bloated and stuff.”
- He felt Punja and Brijesh deserved recognition after their performances in the match.
- Parag spoke about Brijesh’s comeback rhythm—returning after getting a few chances, then delivering runs late in the innings and bowling effectively when it mattered.
- On Punja, Parag referenced his progress from net work to becoming the lead spinner, calling it a “remarkable job.”
Parag concluded with hopes for the youngsters to keep the momentum going, saying he wants them to repeat the performance “for another one game, and then, another two games.”
