Sanju Samson is set to be traded by the Rajasthan Royals ahead of the 2026 season of the Indian Premier League, most likely to the Chennai Super Kings. The question now is, who will replace him as the captain of the inaugural IPL champions?
The Kerala wicketkeeper-batter made his league debut in 2023 for the Royals and was named the franchise captain in 2021. He is an absolute RR legend; his 155 appearances and 4219 runs are the most in the 18-year history of this team. He has also led the Jaipur-based team in 67 games, the most for the side, and has won 33 of them, which is also the most for RR.
But now, it is all but confirmed that Samson will leave the Royals in the upcoming season. Although there are a few players who have been with the team for several seasons, it remains a very young side. Determining their next captain might not be the easiest although there are still a few clear options.
Who Will Be the Rajasthan Royals Captain in IPL 2026?
There are a few international players who might get the nod. Wanindu Hasaranga has experience captaining the Sri Lankan Cricket Team in limited-overs formats, but he also joined the side just last season. Then, players like Jofra Archer and Shimron Hetmyer, being integral pieces of the squad, can also be handed the hat. But Archer is injury-prone, and Hetmyer has almost no experience captaining at the top level, so handing captaincy to an overseas player with minimal leadership experience might be a no-go.
It is very clear that the Rajasthan Royals will look towards their young Indian batting core to find their new leader. A recent report by The Times of India claimed that Yashasvi Jaiswal and Dhruv Jurel have emerged as the frontrunners to lead the Royals for the upcoming IPL 2026 season.
Jaiswal is the regular opener for the Indian Cricket Team in Test cricket. He is a regular in the squad in limited-overs cricket. The explosive batter is one of the most promising batters in world cricket, with several accolades already under his belt. The former U-19 star joined RR in 2020, and despite having played only 67 matches for the franchise, he is already their fifth-highest run scorer.
On the other hand, Dhruv Jurel is a reliable middle-order batter and wicketkeeper for the Royals. He joined the franchise in 2022 and has become a crucial part of the squad. He is also a regular for the Indian Test team. He was also named the captain of the Central Zone team for the 2025-26 Duleep Trophy before he was pulled from the side due to injury.
Jaiswal and Jurel were also retained by RR ahead of the IPL 2025 mega-auction, making them essential parts of the team’s plans back then. And while plans change from season to season, their young age suggests that they are still a massive part of the organisation, despite a change in management.
However, there are a few other choices for the Rajasthan Royals captaincy for IPL 2026. A very surprising omission from the TOI report was one Riyan Parag. Parag is the only former RR captain in the squad. Not only did he captain the Royals for half of the 2025 season, with Sanju Samson out with an injury. He has also led Assam in several domestic competitions.
Another former captain in the squad is Nitish Rana, who is the most experienced skipper in the team. The former captain of Delhi in domestic competitions, Rana, led the Kolkata Knight Riders in the 2023 season, replacing an injured Shreyas Iyer.
Sanju Samson’s transfer will be announced this week, as November 15 is the final date for announcing retentions. And so, it is also very likely that the Rajasthan Royals will announce their captain for IPL 2026 soon after.
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