Rajasthan Royals head coach Kumar Sangakkara backs Riyan Parag despite ongoing struggle in IPL 2026
Rajasthan Royals remain strong in IPL 2026 despite Riyan Parag’s lean run with the bat. Kumar Sangakkara backed his captain, praising his form and leadership while expressing confidence that a big innings is around the corner.
Rajasthan Royals have done remarkably well in their IPL 2026 campaign, winning five out of seven matches. The top three batters and the bowling unit have been highly effective, resulting in them being third on the points table. However, ahead of the second half of the season, attention has increasingly turned toward captain Riyan Parag, who has failed to live up to his potential.
Despite leading effectively on the field, the 24-year-old has struggled to convert starts into meaningful contributions. His tally stands at 81 runs from seven innings, with no score exceeding 20, which has put him under the scanner. While those numbers contrast with the team’s overall success, the management has shown no signs of concern over his role or approach.
Head coach Kumar Sangakkara addressed the situation ahead of the side’s upcoming fixture against Sunrisers Hyderabad, expressing confidence in Parag’s rhythm at the crease.
“I think he’s batting really well. When you’re batting well, sometimes you don’t always score. I would have been concerned if he wasn’t hitting the ball well. I think he’s hitting it really well. He just needs to stitch together a few more runs so that he sets himself a good platform to attack in the end,” Sangakkara told reporters during the pre-match press conference.
Sangakkara expects Parag to get better as batter
The former Sri Lanka captain also emphasised the franchise’s belief in Parag, highlighting his growth in leadership despite the scrutiny that accompanies the role.
“As a player, as a batter, the franchise backs him 100 per cent. And what’s really exciting for me is to see how he has just embraced the captaincy and the leadership. And you can see even in the last game how good a captain he was. So, I think he will learn more and more about pressure, and he will get better," he added.
Meanwhile, Parag has found his most success while batting at number three for Rajasthan. This season, the team management trusted Dhruv Jurel for the role. They should now analyse if that has impacted Parag’s performances.
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