Riyan Parag is the new Royals captain as Sanju Samson is traded to CSK

The IPL is back! Just when you think you know all the news and all the twists, IPL gives you a new surprise! Sanju Samson to CSK? New captain of the Royals, Riyan Parag? I cannot believe what I just heard. My entire Twitter timeline just exploded. I am still trying to process all of this news.

In all honesty, this could become either a complete success or complete failure for all franchises and all teams. There is no in-between. A 24-year-old captain, who is known more for his parties than his batting, has now become the new captain of RR. But as we all know, cricket is all about taking risks, and sometimes it pays off.

The Sanju Samson Biopic

Sanju finds it a little strange to be leaving with the Rajasthan team. It feels odd as he has been the face of the team for such a long time now. The players who left the team, he stayed loyal and got the captaincy. He expected to see the end of his career in those pinks.

It still hurts. Sanju put so much work in for that franchise. He will now be playing at Chepauk with Dhoni. That will be an adjustment.  

But why is Riyan Parag?

That is the main question. Why choose Parag for the captaincy when there were other options available?  

RR is opting for the less experienced and more promising option. They are betting on Riyan's upside and not where he is right now. The young player has the confidence that modern T20 cricket demands.

And he’s from the region. I was born in Guwahati, an IPL fan and a Rajasthan Royals fan. That emotional connection matters. It won’t be just another job for him.  

There is something about his leadership that the management sees that we haven’t. He might just be the one who is the most vocal in the dressing room. Or maybe they just want an impertinent young person who will develop into that.

Can Riyan deal with that Sort of Pressure?

It is a simple statement, but edge captaincy in an IPL team is a tough job. You will be burned from the weight of the press, global superstars, big egos and fan expectations.

It is the first time Riyan has been given the opportunity to captain at this level. Being an IPL captain is an entirely different challenge. The scrutiny on franchises is incredibly intense, especially through social media. One mistake and you're done.

The positive side? Riyan is not afraid. Riyan is not concerned with how his batting reputation is perceived. The same boldness will be crucial for him in a leadership role.

The negative side? Riyan has a tendency to be inconsistent. He finds himself in a position to make an unbelievable shot and play a game that looks really great or really terrible. A captain has to be consistent.

What does this mean for the future of the Royals? 

The Rajasthan Royals have started a completely new chapter in the franchise’s history. Trading your current captain signals a total reset, not only for the coming season, but the next five years.

With Parag at the helm, they will likely try to build a core around young Indian talent. It could work very well, as evidenced by the Gujarat Titans' handling of Hardik Pandya – they even won the trophy in their first season with a young captain.

It could also lead to the opposite result, and harsh criticism if Riyan stumbles. "What possessed you to make an inexperienced player captain?" The management will be desperately trying to avoid that.

What Fans Are Saying

RR fans have shown mixed reactions to this team. Half of these fans stated, ``Finally, we are trying something else.`` While half think the RR management has lost their marbles. 

I have seen a bewilderingly high amount of comments stating something along the lines of, ``We traded a bunch of science projects for a proven captain. We're finishing 10th again, so this has to work.`` This perfectly sums up the fans concerns.

CSK fans are excited. They have needed a good batsman-wicketkeeper for a while, and Sanju solves that. They also have confidence in their management to make the right moves.

My Honest Opinion

There are some people who think RR is taking a large gamble with some of these players. People think that this is due to a lack of confidence in the players, and that RR is hoping to take the players to legendary status. Captain of MI, Rohit Sharma, was not expected to do so well. People also had no expectations of Hardik leading GT to a win in their first year.

Riyan has what it takes, and with confidence, and a bit of fearlessness, he may not be as far behind as everyone thinks. If things do not pan out the way that RR is hoping, it is going to be a long year for everyone.

Remember the first game; it could set the pace for the whole competition. If Riyan has a strong start, the rest of the competition will have to follow suit. A slow start from Riyan will cause a lot of negativity to be directed his way.

Conclusion

When the IPL first announced this format, we never imagined it would be possible to change the format this much. Riyan Parag in the RR jersey as captain, and Sanju Samson in the yellow, who would have thought it possible.

What will happen next? Riyan may be the next successful IPL captain and will be able to lead RR to their 2nd title. Or it could be the case that in a few years this will all be seen to be a failure, and Riyan, the players, and the coach will end up going in opposite directions.

What makes the game of cricket unique is that until the first ball is bowled, it is possible to have all of the predictions and analysis. It has all be come irrelevant once the first ball is bowled.

At this present time, Riyan Parag has the best opportunity possible. It is up to Riyan to set the goals for his career. It is the hopes of the whole RR fan base, and now we have IPL captaincy.

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