Riyan Parag, stepping in as captain for the Rajasthan Royals, received a warm welcome from fans in his home state of Assam as the team returned to Guwahati for a few home games. He led the squad against the Kolkata Knight Riders, with both teams eager to secure their first victory in the 2025 Indian Premier League season.

When Parag showed up for the pre-match toss, the crowd went wild, cheering for their local hero. He took a moment to express his gratitude to the fans, saying he felt “humbled” to be leading the IPL team in front of them.

“I’m really proud and humbled to be at the helm of such a franchise. I started my journey at 17, and the management’s trust in me is something I can hardly describe,” Parag shared.

Parag took on the captaincy role after Sanju Samson was limited to batting only in the first three matches of the season due to fitness concerns. Samson hasn’t been fully cleared yet and has been advised against wicketkeeping. The Royals utilized him as their Impact Player in the opening match and plan to do the same against KKR. With Samson sidelined from keeping wickets, Dhruv Jurel has stepped in to take on that role for the team.

A challenging beginning for the Royals

The Royals had a rough start to the season last week against the Sunrisers Hyderabad, giving up a massive total of 286/6 in just 20 overs. Jofra Archer, who had the most costly bowling performance in IPL history against SRH, along with teammates Fazalhaq Farooqi and Maheesh Theekshana, struggled to contain the aggressive batting from Travis Head and Ishan Kishan.

Archer particularly had a tough time, allowing an eye-watering 76 runs during his spell at Uppal, unable to counter the relentless attack. This loss exposed the bowling lineup, leaving them with little control over the game's direction.

The spotlight is also on Parag, whose leadership seemed shaky at times, especially regarding his decisions on the field. With his tactical choices being closely examined, Parag needs to rise to the occasion and show more decisive and insightful leadership when they face KKR on Wednesday night.

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