Jaipur, March 19 (NationPress) The captain of Rajasthan Royals, Riyan Parag, emphasized that the team's primary goal for the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) season is to enhance their planning and effectively finish matches. This comes after the team faced several close defeats, which resulted in a disappointing ninth place finish in IPL 2025.

In their previous season, RR lost five matches while chasing by margins of 11 runs or less, which included a heartbreaking Super Over defeat against the Delhi Capitals. To address this weakness, they have bolstered their finishing capabilities by acquiring all-rounders Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran, along with trading for Donovan Ferreira, who recently returned to play after recovering from a shoulder injury sustained during this year’s SA20.

“This year, our aim is to improve our planning and ensure we finish games, something we struggled with last season. I believe proper planning is essential. Last year, we lost about five or six matches in the final over or even on the last ball,” stated Parag.

“If we had converted those chances or made better calculations, we would not be facing this question because we would have qualified for the playoffs with those wins. In every T20 match, there are crucial decisions that can alter the outcome,” he elaborated, speaking at a pre-season press conference.

Parag also addressed the significant gap left by Sanju Samson's move to Chennai Super Kings (CSK), noting that replacing him is comparable to trying to replace batting legends like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in the national team.

“When it comes to Sanju bhaiya, we don’t think about how to replace such a remarkable player. We might seek someone with similar skills or position them accordingly. Just like there is no substitute for Virat Kohli or Rohit Sharma, there is no true replacement for Sanju bhaiya due to his exceptional talent,” Parag remarked.

At the age of 24, Parag has made one ODI and nine T20I appearances for India in 2024. He shared that he has been managing a shoulder injury since undergoing surgery that year. “During my debut year, I participated in three consecutive tours. Unfortunately, I was omitted from the squad for South Africa due to a shoulder injury,” he explained.

“Since then, I haven’t been at my best, which is why I haven’t been in the Indian squad. I want to play for my country only when I am fully fit,” Parag added. He expressed his ambition to lead the Rajasthan Royals to success in the IPL, prioritizing the team's achievements over personal stats.

“For me, leading this franchise, which I have been part of for several years, is about the emotions and connections we share. My ultimate goal is to win the IPL, as I truly believe we have a team capable of achieving this,” he stated. Once the season concludes, he can then focus on his personal aspirations, including a potential return to the Indian team.

Parag concluded by mentioning his willingness to contribute as a bowler when necessary. “We discussed the importance of finding the right match-up for the conditions last year. There were instances when I had to bowl a couple of overs early in the game, and my role was to contain runs while setting the stage for our primary bowlers to take wickets,” he explained. “This year, I’ll assess the conditions and game scenarios to determine if I need to bowl and contribute in that capacity.”