The debate for choosing the Rajasthan Royals new captain is currently taking place all over social media. It comes after the rumours of the Royals trading captain Sanju Samson for Chennai Super Kings all-rounders, Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran, ahead of the IPL 2026 mini-auction. With Samson reportedly leaving the Royals, the likes of Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel, and Riyan Parag have emerged as the captaincy contenders for the upcoming edition of the cash-rich league. Let’s examine who among the three players is the most suitable leader for RR to take them forward in IPL 2026.
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Why Does Riyan Parag Seem Less Favoured as Rajasthan Royals New Captain?
Riyan Parag was the stand-in captain of the Rajasthan Royals in the last edition in the absence of Sanju Samson, who missed out on a few games due to injury issues. The key trigger for Parag to become the Rajasthan Royals’ new captain was his sensational IPL 2024 performance. The right-hander smashed 573 runs at a strike rate of around 150 and was RR’s finest batter.
If Sanju Samson isn’t part of Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2026, who should be the new captain? 🩷©️ pic.twitter.com/AvdpFs8FI4
— CricketGully (@thecricketgully) November 10, 2025
However, under Parag’s leadership, RR managed to win only two out of eight games in 2025. The franchise failed to hold its nerve in crunch situations and went on to lose the games, which hurt them badly in terms of playoff qualification. Along with his batting, Parag is a valuable player for the Royals due to his athletic fielding and part-time spin. He bowled 20 overs in the last edition and took three wickets at an economy of 8.50.
Riyan Parag failed to live up to the expectations with the bat, scoring 393 runs at an average of 32.75, albeit with a terrific strike rate of 166.52. Although Parag seemed to be a long-term leadership option, he has performed well without the captaincy pressure. If given a full license, Parag could be a quality middle-order batter for the Royals and could be a useful operator with the ball. Hence, he is not expected to be announced as the team’s captain.
Dhruv Jurel vs Yashasvi Jaiswal：Strong Contenders for Rajasthan Royals Captaincy
Another two contenders, Dhruv Jurel and Yashasvi Jaiswal, are quality picks as leaders, having returned with impressive performances in the tournament. Jaiswal has been the most consistent batter for the Rajasthan-based franchise, scoring 400 runs in the last three editions. The southpaw’s peak came in 2023, when he slammed 625 runs at an average of 48.07 and a strike rate of 163.61. The opening batter led from the front in 2025, hitting 559 runs and giving the side a terrific start on most occasions.
🚨 JAISWAL OR JUREL FOR LEADERSHIP. 🚨
– Yashasvi Jaiswal and Dhruv Jurel emerged as front runners to lead Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2026. (TOI). pic.twitter.com/wH4BZCZDCp
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) November 10, 2025
With a perfect mixture of caution and aggression, he can score runs in all phases of the game. He can fine-tune his game as per the match situation and is a clean six-hitter, proving his reliability at the top. Meanwhile, Jurel was also one of the players retained by the franchise ahead of the 2025 season. It was partly due to his gritty fifty in the IPL 2024 Qualifier 2 against Sunrisers Hyderabad, albeit in a losing cause. The right-hander produced his best-ever tally in IPL 2025, scoring 333 runs at an average of 37 and a strike rate of 156.33. He played well in the back-end of the innings and failed to get support from the other end, resulting in the side losing a few games.
🚨 Yashasvi Jaiswal and Dhruv Jurel have emerged as the leading contenders to captain Rajasthan Royals, with Sanju Samson likely to part ways with the franchise. 🏏 (TOI) pic.twitter.com/lus3Tij1mv
— CricketGully (@thecricketgully) November 10, 2025
Jurel has shown the ability to be a glue to the batting order, and can read the match situation better, being a keeper like Sanju Samson. With a composed presence on the crease, his stature as a finisher has only grown with time. It is worth noting that the clip emerged during the India-England Test series, where head coach Kumar Sangakkara could be seen having a fun-filled chat with Yashasvi Jaiswal and Dhruv Jurel. Surely, the former Sri Lankan batter has a favorable working relationship with Jaiswal and Jurel, having served as the Director of Cricket for the franchise in the last few years. However, the question is who he would choose to lead RR in IPL 2026.
Who Should Be Rajasthan Royals New Captain?
When it comes to the final choice as Rajasthan Royals new captain, Yashasvi Jaiswal seems to be a better choice as compared to Dhruv Jurel. Being part of the RR setup since 2020, the southpaw is well aware of the team environment and is their best asset.
🚨 CAPTAIN OF RAJASTHAN ROYALS 🚨
– Jaiswal & Jurel emerged as the front runners for the Rajasthan Royals Leadership with Sanju Samson likely to leave the team. [Pratyush Raj from TOI] pic.twitter.com/M4yxFR0Xwd
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) November 10, 2025
As an opener, Jaiswal sets the tone for the franchise with his positive intent, playing a key role in leading the team in a preferred direction. Notably, he doesn’t have a preconceived notion and follows his instincts, which has benefited the team in getting off to a sublime start in the power play. Moreover, the left-hander has proven his ability to convert his starts into big knocks and is a complete batter.
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Although Jurel also seems to be a prime candidate for the leadership transition, he could fall short in terms of his impact on the team’s win in the last few editions. He holds a better average (29.93) in a losing cause as compared to Jaiswal’s impressive average of 40.93 in a winning cause.
