Rajasthan Royals captain Riyan Parag conceded that his team underperformed after being beaten by Kolkata Knight Riders by four wickets in their IPL 2026 match in Kolkata on Sunday evening. Parag admitted that RR misread the pitch and fell short on key execution, pointing in particular to dropped chances and bowling that didn\u2019t consistently stay disciplined.<\/p>\n
Speaking at the post-match presentation, Parag said RR had expected a competitive total of roughly 170, but were bowled out well short of that target. He stressed that there was little room for excuses, highlighting two areas where the side let itself down.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe thought it was a 170 wicket, so we were well under par. It\u2019s our game\u2014no excuses. We can\u2019t be dropping catches. We also can\u2019t bowl in a way that gives batters an advantage,\u201d Parag said.<\/p>\n
Parag also explained the thinking behind RR\u2019s bowling plan, noting the amount of turn available on the surface and how the spin options were expected to play a bigger role. He referenced the impact of the spinners during the middle overs and described how the match situation influenced his decision-making.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere was plenty of spin on the wicket. The way Jaddu, Bishi and Punja bowled made me think spin was the way forward, which is why I bowled an over. Brijesh was close to bowling the 14th and the 16th as well,\u201d Parag added.<\/p>\n
He further elaborated on the tactical adjustments made during the chase, especially once left-handed batters came into play. Parag suggested that after one spinner completed his spell, RR felt the conditions might become more difficult for their attack and tried to manage the risk accordingly.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey lost wickets, and there were left-handers. So I bowled\u2026 After Bishnoi\u2019s over finished, I felt the spinners could be targeted here because of the left-handers. I think the plan was there. We tried to give ourselves time, but it didn\u2019t work out. Yash Raj Punja bowled really well\u2014there were a few nerves in his first over,\u201d Parag said.<\/p>\n
KKR\u2019s win sets up a dramatic finish to the contest in Kolkata, with the chase ultimately decided by Rinku\u2019s momentum in the closing stages after RR had restricted them to a precarious position.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Rajasthan Royals captain Riyan Parag conceded that his team underperformed after being beaten by Kolkata Knight Riders by four wickets in their IPL 2026 match…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":3840,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_yoast_wpseo_title":"IPL 2026: Riyan Parag Criticizes RR After KKR Loss","_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"IPL 2026: Riyan Parag opens up after RR\u2019s loss to KKR, citing a misread pitch, missed chances, and execution lapses for the defeat.","footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3841","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ipl"],"yoast_head":"\n