Rajasthan Royals are set to head into IPL 2026 with a new captain at the helm. Sanju Samson has been strongly linked with a move to Chennai Super Kings that could see all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja move to RR. Interestingly, Riyan Parag, who was the stand-in captain whenever Samson was unavailable during IPL 2025, has fallen behind in the race with Yashasvi Jaiswal and Dhruv Jurel now the top contenders.According to a report in timesofindia.com, both Jaiswal and Jurel were told to be prepared for captaincy by RR’s new head coach Kumar Sangakkara during India’s England tour earlier this year.
The publication further reported that Jurel has a stronger claim to the leadership role given his skills. While Jaiswal is a top-order batter, Jurel has shown his wares as a dependable finisher besides being a quality wicketkeeper who can control the game from behind the stumps. Additionally, Jurel as captain lends flexibility to the team as Jaiswal can be swapped for a bowler thanks to the Impact Player rule. Rajasthan Royals have considered both Dhruv Jurel and Yashasvi Jaiswal for the captaincy spot. Like Sanju, both have made their debuts for the franchise and have gone on to represent the Indian team based on their exploits in the IPL and domestic cricket.
The report states both Jaiswal and Jurel were informed of Royals' thinking, who had earlier informed them to be 'ready' for captaincy. It is important to note that earlier this year, Jaiswal had agreed a move to Goa from Mumbai in domestic cricket with eyes on captaincy. He however stayed put and played in the Ranji Trophy matches last week.The Madhya Pradesh keeper's versatility has him pipping ahead of Jaiswal. Sanju's departure will open the wicketkeeping spot for him. His ability to dovetail middle order and finishing roles also is a plus. Riyan Parag's exclusion from the race, though suprising, has been coming. The Royals are in the process of a complete overhaul after finishing 9th last year. Parag captained the side in half those games, but did not make much of an impression.