Rajasthan Royals’ impressive IPL 2026 campaign came to an end in Qualifier 2, but captain Riyan Parag chose to focus on the positives after the defeat to Gujarat Titans. While disappointed to miss out on a place in the final, the RR skipper praised his young squad for exceeding expectations and reserved special praise for teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.
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After posting 214/6, Rajasthan looked to have given themselves a fighting chance. However, Gujarat’s top order, led by Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan, chased down the target comfortably to book a place in the final against Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
Parag feels RR needed a bigger total
Looking back at the match, Parag believed Rajasthan were slightly short of the score they needed on the surface.
According to the RR captain, conditions improved during the second innings, making batting easier under lights.
“It was a par score; it was defendable. I felt after the heavy roller, it got better in the second innings. In the first innings, the bowlers got some grip, and the slower ones did well. I thought 230 would have been a par score (and) a score around 240 would have been challenging.”
Special praise for Vaibhav Sooryavanshi
One of the biggest positives for Rajasthan this season has been the emergence of 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.
The youngster once again delivered on the big stage, scoring a brilliant 96 and giving Rajasthan a strong platform. Parag said what makes Vaibhav special is the way he builds his innings instead of simply relying on power-hitting.
“I can’t put it into words, there’s one way where you slog and score many runs. But he doesn’t slog, you could see his innings today – he calculates and plays his shots.”
Parag also backed the teenager to achieve even bigger things in the years ahead.
“I can’t say how, but hopefully he will go on to do well in his career, do well for the Rajasthan Royals and win us a second title.”
RR captain proud of young squad
Despite falling short of the final, Parag believes Rajasthan can take plenty of confidence from their overall campaign.
The Royals entered the season with one of the youngest squads in the competition and were not considered among the favourites to reach the playoffs. However, several young players stepped up throughout the tournament and played key roles in the team’s success.
Summing up the season, Parag said the future looks bright for the franchise.
“To sum it up in one sentence, there were many positives. “We were not expected to qualify with so many young and inexperienced players but it’s a good thing to see a lot of youngsters doing well and they can only get better from here.”
A bright future for Rajasthan Royals
While the loss put an end to Rajasthan Royals’ hopes for the IPL 2026 title, the season could still be remembered as an important step in the franchise’s rebuilding path.
The emergence of Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, solid performances from several young players and a playoff appearance have provided the Royals a solid base to build on. With much of their core group expected to stay together, Rajasthan will hope this season is just the beginning of a bright new era.
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