In a heartfelt show of team spirit, Nitish Rana publicly endorsed Rajasthan Royals’ (RR) bold decision to appoint Riyan Parag as their stand-in skipper for the initial matches of the Indian Premier League 2025 (IPL 2025).
Speaking at a press conference ahead of RR’s clash against Delhi Capitals (DC), Rana dismissed speculation about his own captaincy ambitions, praising Parag’s deep understanding of the team’s culture.
As Sanju Samson played as a pure batter in the first three games, grappling with a finger injury, the Royals’ management turned to Parag, who has been with the franchise since 2019. The move raised eyebrows, especially with Rana, a proven leader who had captained Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in 2023, in the squad.
Nitish Rana shows class, backs Riyan Parag
"When I was made captain of KKR, I had been with the team for 6-7 years. That helped a lot because I understood the team culture and environment. Now, with RR, I think Riyan knows the team's setup better than me. And I think it was absolutely the right decision by the management," Rana said as quoted in the presser.
"If they had asked me, of course, I would've happily accepted the captaincy. But what matters most is what's right for the team. And I think they made the correct call," he added.
Since his IPL debut in 2019, Parag has grown into a key figure for RR, showcasing his potential as a hard-hitting batter, handy off-spinner and exceptional fielder. His standout performance in IPL 2024, where he scored 573 runs at an average of over 50, cemented his status as a cornerstone of the team.
Parag’s captaincy stint began with challenges as RR lost their first two matches under his leadership against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Kolkata Knight Riders. However, the young skipper silenced his doubters in the third game, leading RR to a thrilling six-run victory over Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in Guwahati.
Rana, who played a pivotal role in the CSK win with a blistering 81 runs off 36 balls, emphasized his commitment to the team’s needs over personal ambitions.
"Things are very different on the ground. Sometimes, the match situation demands something else. Often, a left-right combination becomes very important in a format like the IPL. In a couple of matches, I didn't get much chance to bat."
"Whatever the team demands from me, I try my best to fulfill that. Earlier, I batted lower down the order. Then in the third match, they asked me if I would bat at number three. I said yes, and I scored around 80 or so. So I just try to deliver what the team expects of me. And I'm always okay with that," Rana concluded.
Talking about RR’s match against DC, it turned out to be a humdinger. RR needed nine runs off six balls to win, but Mitchell Starc perfectly executed the yorkers as the scores got tied and the match went into a super over.
Parag and Shimron Hetmyer came out to bat for RR in the super over. Both of them got run out as the Royals gave a 12-run target to DC. KL Rahul and Tristan Stubbs took the Capitals over the line in just four balls as DC gathered a famous win.
Rajasthan is currently in eighth place on the IPL 2025 points table. Their next fixture is scheduled against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) on April 19 at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur.
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