Riyan Parag's underwhelming form in IPL 2026 may be a concern on paper, but Vikram Rathour isn't losing sleep over it. The Rajasthan Royals batting coach remains confident that his skipper will turn things around as the tournament progresses.
Parag, whose appointment as captain raised a few eyebrows given the presence of established names like Yashasvi Jaiswal and Dhruv Jurel, has endured a tough start. In eight matches, he has managed just 88 runs at a strike rate of 112.82, with a highest score of 20.
Despite the numbers, Rathour dismissed concerns about Parag's technique or approach. “There is nothing going wrong with him. He is batting well in the nets and working hard,” he said.
Parag's struggles stand in stark contrast to the form of RR's top performers. Teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has been exceptional, while Jaiswal and Jurel have also delivered consistently, carrying much of the batting responsibility. In fact, Parag currently trails even behind contributors like Ravindra Jadeja and Donovan Ferreira in the run charts.
His latest dismissal against Sunrisers Hyderabad summed up his struggles. Facing Pat Cummins, Parag was undone by a sharp yorker that crashed into the base of the stumps, leaving him with little time to react.
However, Rathour believes this is just a temporary dip. “That's how the game goes sometimes. You go through phases where runs don't come. It's part of cricket. He will come back, and he will come back strong, I'm very sure of that,” he added.
Rajasthan Royals upcoming matches in IPL 2026
The Rajasthan Royals have six remaining matches in the league stage of IPL 2026. After their recent high-scoring loss to Sunrisers Hyderabad on 25 April, they are currently placed fourth in the points table with 10 points from eight games.
| Date | Opponent | Venue | Time (IST) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 28 April | Punjab Kings | New Chandigarh | 7:30 PM |
| 01 May | Delhi Capitals | Jaipur (Home) | 7:30 PM |
| 09 May | Gujarat Titans | Jaipur (Home) | 7:30 PM |
| 17 May | Delhi Capitals | Delhi | 7:30 PM |
| 19 May | Lucknow Super Giants | Jaipur (Home) | 7:30 PM |
| 24 May | Mumbai Indians | Mumbai | 3:30 PM |
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