The Rajasthan Royals made the wrong decision when they selected Riyan Parag as their captain because the team already had experienced players Yashasvi Jaiswal and Ravindra Jadeja.

Parag filled in as captain for Sanju Samson during his absence from the team yet he could not produce strong batting results. Afterward, RR decided to support him again which created uncertainty about the franchise's choice to give the young all-rounder control of leadership responsibilities.

The former CSK batter expressed his views by stating that Jaiswal who already established himself as a star player represented the ideal choice for captaincy in the inaugural IPL championship.

Badrinath on his YouTube channel: "Yashasvi Jaiswal has represented India so much and is the future of Indian cricket. He is already playing Test and ODI cricket. So, to not back him and go with Riyan Parag is definitely wrong. Probably, Yashasvi Jaiswal doesn't have any relative who is an owner of RR (sarcasm). I also wonder if RR enticed Jadeja from CSK with captaincy discussions, but later it didn't materialise." 

Read also: Watch: Lockie Ferguson breaks QdK's stumps with leg-cutter in SAvsNZ clash

Riyan Parag remains one of the most exciting young players in Indian domestic cricket. His ability to hit home runs combined with his bowling skills makes him an essential player who can perform multiple roles. The 24-year-old recently spoke about becoming Rajasthan Royals’ captain ahead of the 2026 season.

He added: “Rajasthan Royals has been my home in the IPL since day one. This franchise has backed me, developed me, and pushed me to grow every season. To now lead this team is incredibly special, and it’s a responsibility I fully embrace. I’m excited to work alongside our coaches and leadership group to play fearless, smart cricket and make our fans proud.” 

Parag has played 83 IPL matches and achieved 1566 runs with a strike rate above 140. His all-round abilities show through his seven wickets which he has taken so far in the competition.