Overview
- Rajasthan Royals confirmed Parag’s appointment on February 13 via a live reveal and social posts that included his appeal for fans’ support during the transition.
- The franchise said the decision followed a considered, structured process conducted since the auction, with endorsements from Kumar Sangakkara and lead owner Manoj Badale.
- Parag steps in after Sanju Samson’s trade to Chennai Super Kings in a deal that brought Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran, and he was selected over reported contenders including Jadeja, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel and Curran.
- He previously captained eight matches in IPL 2025 during Samson’s injury absence, winning two and closing that stint with a career-best 95 at Eden Gardens.
- A homegrown player since 2019, Parag has 1,566 runs in 84 IPL games and a breakout 2024 tally of 573 runs, with Sangakkara praising his composure and sharp cricketing mind.