IPL 2026: Riyan Parag on Sanju Samson’s Absence — ‘Like Virat Kohli, He Can’t Be Replaced’

IPL 2026: Rajasthan Royals’ newly appointed skipper Riyan Parag finally acknowledged the ‘elephant in the room’, addressing the absence of former RR captain Sanju Samson from the squad ahead of the upcoming edition of the IPL. Parag, while addressing the query in a press conference, compared Samson’s absence to a huge void left in the side.

Samson, whose association with Rajasthan Royals goes way back, took a leap of faith to get transferred to the five-time IPL champions Chennai Super Kings. Notably, Samson represented RR for 11 seasons before getting traded to CSK in exchange for English all-rounder Sam Curran and veteran Ravindra Jadeja.

Sanju’s Game Is Incomparable To Anyone: Parag

 “Sanju’s game is unique; he cannot be compared to anyone else. It is like asking, ‘Who is Virat Kohli’s replacement?’ — it simply isn’t possible,” he said. “However, every player plays to win, and everyone has different capabilities.”

Further, Parag pointed out the shortcomings of the team in the last season

“We were losing matches in the final stages. Had we played with more freedom — or managed to hit a boundary at a crucial moment, or prevented the opposition from doing so — we would have progressed further. This time, we are addressing and rectifying those mistakes,” he added.

RR Eye Balance In Squad: 

“We have a good combination of spin and pace bowlers. In batting too, there is a proper mix of right- and left-handers. We have high expectations from Ravindra Jadeja; he is a magnificent all-rounder,” Parag said.

“Regardless of the venue, there’s always a mixed crowd. We tune out the noise and focus on our game. Our goal is to perform well, wherever we play.”

RR Full Squad: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Riyan Parag, Ravindra Jadeja (traded in), Dhruv Jurel, Shimron Hetmyer, Jofra Archer, Tushar Deshpande, Sandeep Sharma, Nandre Burger, Sam Curran (traded in), Adam Milne, Kwena Maphaka, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Donovan Ferreira (traded in), Ravi Singh, Shubham Dubey, Kuldeep Sen, Yudhvir Singh Charak, Lhuan-Dre Pretorius, Vignesh Puthur, Sushant Mishra, Yash Raj Punja, Brijesh Sharma, Aman Rao

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