Riyan Parag Acknowledges Herculean Task Of Filling Sanju Samson's Enigmatic Absence: ‘Irreplaceable Like Rohit And Virat’

Rajasthan Royals IPL 2026 News: Rajasthan Royals skipper Riyan Parag acknowledged the insurmountable task in the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026, stating that the void left by star wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson's absence is akin to replacing iconic figures like Rohit Sharma or Virat Kohli.

Samson, who captained the Royals from 2021 to 2025, was traded to Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in a pre-season deal that saw Ravindra Jadeja join the Rajasthan Royals.

"If you talk about Sanju bhaiya, we never think about replacing the kind of player he is. We can perhaps look for someone with a similar skillset or have someone bat in his position..." Parag told reporters in a pre-season press conference.

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"It's like there is no replacement for Virat Kohli or Rohit Sharma... In the same way, there is no replacement for Sanju bhaiya because he is such a good player," Parag said.

Samson had a prominent 11-year association with the Royals, spanning two stints, during which he appeared as the team's most successful skipper and prolific run-scorer, steering them to the 2022 final and the 2024 playoffs.

The Royals endured a disappointing previous season, finishing ninth with 10 defeats, marking one of their poorest campaigns.

Parag, the newly appointed captain, emphasised the need for improved strategy and planning to revive the 2008 champions' serendipity.

"This year, the focus is to plan better and finish games, which we couldn't do in the previous edition. We need to plan well. Last year, there were about 5-6 games which we lost in the last over or even on the last ball. Had we been able to convert those, or had we calculated better, this question (if RR would try anything new) would not have been asked because we would have qualified (for knockouts) by winning those matches," Parag said.

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"I think that in every T20 game, there are 3-4 decisions that you have to make which change the course of the game. If we take those small decisions with strategy and planning, this year will be different," Parag added.

"I was here when I was just 17 and I have seen all the ups and downs, though more downs than ups till now. I want to thank Rajasthan Royals for supporting me and understanding the cricketer I am," Parag said.