All this talk of a takeover and we almost forgot that there is still an Indian Premier League season to be played this year. Rajasthan Royals are back, albeit in a new avatar, for the edition of IPL 2026. But the question remains: is this the year they can return to the headline picture?
For so many years, the Royals and Sanju Samson have been a familiar sight. But now the latter has moved on and in comes Ravindra Jadeja, the only active cricketer from the original 2008 side that won the title under Shane Warne.
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The franchise decided to move on from Samson and appointed Riyan Parag, a player they had supported since he was 17, as their new captain. They will embark on a new era on and off the field, but the question remains whether they can finally crack the code this season.
RR FORCES
Arguably the best thing about Rajasthan Royals is their top order composite. Yashasvi Jaiswal and Vaibhav Suryavanshi at the top have shown signs of a lethal combination capable of taking the game away from even the best opposition attacks. In the seven games the pair have started together, they have amassed 422 runs at a run rate of 12.17 runs per over, the second-highest figure among openers last season. There’s no reason to believe they won’t pick up where they left off.
Spin is another key area of strength. The acquisitions of Ravi Bishnoi and Ravindra Jadeja give them the extra firepower they have been missing since the Yuzvendra Chahal and Ravichandran Ashwin era. But it doesn’t end there. If they need more rotation, they can turn to the likes of Riyan Parag and Donovan Ferreira or bring in a specialist like Vignesh Puthur, who showed promise last season.
Versatility in the fast bowling attack is also added. Jofra Archer is expected to lead the attack but they have surrounded him with options by retaining Nandre Burger, Kwena Maphaka and Tushar Deshpande.
They also brought in Sushant Mishra, the left-arm fast bowler from Jharkhand who finished as the highest wicket-taker in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy last season for the eventual winners, in the auction.
WEAKNESS OF RR
Leadership has to be the biggest area of concern for the Royals. Riyan Parag has the experience of leading the party and has captained teams on the domestic circuit, but the question remains whether he is ready to face the challenge at this level.
They lost four games by narrow margins in the league stage last season. This season they will need to show that this is not a recurring theme.
The finishing role remains a largely unproven area. Yes, they have brought in Donovan Ferreira for the job, but he is yet to prove himself in the IPL. Shimron Hetmyer has largely carried that burden in the last few seasons, though he too could be pushed up the order this time, given his superior performances in the recently concluded T20 World Cup.
Ravindra Jadeja, the batter, is another concern. In the modern era of T20 cricket, where 150+ strikes are fast becoming the bare minimum, he hasn’t really impressed. He has won games in pressure situations before, but the jury is still out on whether he can consistently get the job done with the bat.
RR FULL SQUAD FOR IPL 2025
RR IPL 2026 Retention
Yashaswi Jaiswal (Rs 18 million)
Riyan Parag (Rs 14 crore)
Dhruv Jurel (Rs 14 crores)
Jofra Archer (Rs 12.5 crore)
Shimron Hetmyer (Rs 11 crore)
Tushar Deshpande (Rs 6.5 crore)
Sandeep Sharma (Rs 4 million)
Nandre Burger (Rs 3.5 million)
Kwena Maphaka (Rs 1.5 million)
Vaibhav Suryavanshi (Rs 1.1 million)
Shubham Dubey (Rs 80 lakhs)
Yudhvir Charak (Rs 35 lakh)
Lhuan-Dre Pretorious (Rs 30 lakhs)
RR IPL 2026 Deals
CSK’s Ravindra Jadeja (Rs 14 crore)
Sam Curran of CSK (Rs 2.4 crore)
DC’s Donovan Ferreira (Rs 1 million)
RR IPL 2026 Auction Buys
Batsmen/Guards
Aman Rao Perala (Rs 30 lakhs)
Ravi Singh (Rs 30 lakh)
Pitchers
Ravi Bishnoi (Rs 2 million)
Adam Milne (Rs 2 million)
Kuldeep Sen (Rs 75 lakhs)
Sushant Mishra (Rs 90 lakhs)
Vignesh Puthur (Rs 30 lakhs)
Yash Raj Punja (Rs 30 lakhs)
Brijesh Sharma (Rs 30 lakhs)
RR INJURY NEWS
England all-rounder Sam Curran, who was traded from Chennai Super Kings, got injured and was subsequently replaced by Sri Lankan Dasun Shanaka for Rs 2 crore.
RR: 3 PLAYERS TO WATCH OUT FOR
Vaibhav Suryavanshi: Arguably the biggest young prospect in the sport and he comes with a lot to prove. There has been a lot of talk about whether he will be unveiled this season and who knows, the youngster may have been taking notes. When he gets going, there’s usually no stopping him. He is expected to go full throttle from the first ball and can make lofted shots look effortless. The U19 World Cup showed he has the temperament, but the IPL is a different beast altogether. Time will tell if he thrives under the spotlight or feels the heat.
Yashasvi Jaiswal: The 24-year-old also has a lot to prove. He was overlooked in India’s T20 World Cup squad despite being good enough to start for almost any other nation. The southpaw enters with fire in his belly and hungry for a big score. But this time he won’t get a free hand. He will be expected to be an accumulator; RR’s consistent presence can be relied upon. His skills suggest he has what it takes for the role, but only time will tell if he delivers.
Riyan Parag: TThe 24-year-old is no longer the new kid on the block. Seven years with the franchise and now he has been promoted to its management. That’s no small responsibility. We know he can be the guy for the Royals with the bat, but it will be interesting to see if he learns from last season’s mistakes and grows as a player as well as a captain. If he can put this team together, the Royals could prove to be a force to be reckoned with.
RR POSSIBLE PLAYING XI
Batting first:
Yashasvi Jaiswal, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Dhruv Jurel (WK), Riyan Parag (C), Shimron Hetmyer, Donovan Ferreira, Dasun Shanaka, Ravindra Jadeja, Jofra Archer, Ravi Bishnoi, Sushant Mishra
Impact Sub: Sandeep Sharma, Vignesh Puthur, Tushar Deshpande, Shubham Dubey, Aman Rao Perala
Batting second:
Yashasvi Jaiswal, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Dhruv Jurel (WK), Riyan Parag (C), Shimron Hetmyer, Ravindra Jadeja, Dasun Shanaka, Jofra Archer, Ravi Bishnoi, Sandeep Sharma, Sushant Mishra
Impact Sub: Aman Rao Perala, Yudhvir Singh Charak, Donovan Ferriera, Shubham Dubey, Ravi Singh
– The end
Issued by:
Saurabh Kumar
Published on:
March 25, 2026 10:45 AM IST
