Rajasthan Royals captain Riyan Parag addressed the departure of long-time star Sanju Samson to Chennai Super Kings, emphasizing that no one can replace him. RR strengthened their squad with Ravindra Jadeja, Sam Curran, and young talent Vaibhav Suryavanshi, focusing on balance, all-rounders, and improved strategies for IPL 2026.

Jaipur: Rajasthan Royals (RR) captain Riyan Parag addressed questions regarding the absence of former skipper and star wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson and how the team plans to fill the void in the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026.

Samson, who had been the face of Rajasthan Royals for more than a decade, represented the franchise across 11 IPL seasons, but was traded to the five-time champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and will now don the yellow colours during the IPL 2026 edition.

In return, the inaugural champions, Roysls, got England all-rounder Sam Curran and veteran Ravindra Jadeja, who were traded from CSK.

Speaking to the media, Parag said, "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. However, every player plays to win, and everyone possesses different capabilities. As you may have observed last season, we were losing matches in the final stages. Had we played with more freedom--or if we had managed to hit a boundary at a crucial moment, or conversely, prevented the opposition from doing so--we would have progressed further in the IPL. This time around, we are specifically addressing and rectifying those past mistakes."