Rajasthan Royals skipper Riyan Parag acknowledged that his side still have plenty of work to do, even after they booked their place in the IPL 2026 playoffs with a vital 30-run victory over Mumbai Indians at Wankhede Stadium. Chasing a target, Mumbai were eventually knocked out of contention, with Parag pointing to both the late batting fireworks and the timely bowling impact that followed. RR had powered past the 200-run mark, with the finishing overs driven by big-hitting from Jofra Archer and Ravindra Jadeja, before Archer then delivered a decisive spell to swing the contest firmly in Rajasthan’s favour.
Speaking after the win, Parag detailed the logic behind Rajasthan’s late-order adjustments, explaining why they elevated Archer to number 7 and promoted Jadeja to number 9 during RR’s surge. In his view, the plan was never about overthinking matchups—it was about creating the right batting roles at the right moment. “Obviously it’s good when things go to plan,” Parag said. “I know we’ve won the game, we’ve qualified, but there are a lot of areas we can do better. We wanted the set batter to play a little longer, so moving Jofra to 7 and Jadeja to 9 made sense. We needed runs. It’s a wicket where you can’t have two batters in the middle going at a run-a-ball. Wanted one person to take the initiative, take the risk, and the other to stay there a little longer.”
Parag also singled out Jadeja for special praise, highlighting how the all-rounder’s control in the closing phase set up the push toward a defendable total. Jadeja finished unbeaten on 19 off 11 balls, a contribution Parag said he expected to be at least impactful in the back end. “And Jadeja is as reliable as always,” the captain added. “I knew in the back end he would get us at least 20 off 10, which he did.”
The Royals captain further spoke about his leadership style, insisting that his team’s bold calls are guided more by instinct and game awareness than by rigid statistical comparisons. “I’ve taken a lot of brave calls this season. That’s how I like to lead. That’s how I lead Assam as well. You’ve got to take your chances—it’s not a gamble. Of course you think about it a lot,” Parag said. He also explained that one of those high-impact decisions involved using Archer specifically against Hardik Pandya during Mumbai’s chase, a tactic that proved pivotal as the England pacer dismissed the MI captain in the 16th over.
Parag explained the reasoning behind that move clearly: “I thought, Hardik—there’s only one guy who can get him out and that is Jofra. That paid off well.” When asked whether his decision-making is driven by data or instinct, he offered a direct response: “Instincts always.”
While Archer’s wickets and Jadeja’s late hitting were central to the story, Parag also ensured the spotlight included the less-heralded contributors. He praised uncapped bowlers Brijesh Sharma and Yash Raj Punja for stepping up in a pressure game, even while joking that he usually tries to avoid too much praise so they don’t get overly comfortable. “It’s tough but all the credit to them,” Parag said. “I don’t usually praise them so they don’t get all bloated and stuff. But after tonight I think they deserve it.”
Parag elaborated on Brijesh’s form and ability to bounce back after spells where he had to wait for opportunities. He also referenced how Brijesh had conceded runs in the later overs at times, while still emphasising the way he returned and executed his role in the match. “Brijesh—the way he’s come back after getting a few games here and there, where he’s gone for some runs in the last few overs. How he bowled today and how he’s been bowling.” On Punja, Parag pointed to his progression from net bowler to a lead spinner within the Royals setup. “And Punja, from a net bowler to his journey right now, being the lead spinner. Remarkable job. I hope they do it for another one game and then another two games.”
Despite the qualification, Parag admitted he is still working through physical limitations, but he credited mental toughness for keeping him going through the season. “I’m definitely not fit. All of this was mental toughness,” he said. He also gave an update on the availability of his key finishers ahead of the playoffs, describing Archer as fit and strong while noting that Jadeja had minor niggles that he would manage carefully. “Jofra’s fine, he’s strong as a rock. Jaddu bhai has some niggles here and there.”
Even with the postseason ticket secured, Parag reflected on the bigger picture and admitted Rajasthan made their path harder than it needed to be by leaving qualification too late. “We should’ve qualified way earlier. Left it a little too late. Hopefully we learn from all of our games,” Parag concluded.
