Was Sandeep Sharma Set to Lead RR Before a Last-Minute Change?
Rajasthan Royals will begin their IPL 2026 campaign today against Chennai Super Kings. The team has Riyan Parag at the helm, who replaced Sanju Samson as the skipper. But recently, Kumar Sangakkara, the Head Coach of the team, revealed that Sandeep Sharma was among the first choices.
Rajasthan Royals will begin their IPL 2026 today, as the team goes against Chennai Super Kings. It will be Riyan Parag and Ruturaj Gaikwad at the toss, as RR changed its captain ahead of the campaign. This all happened due to a major trade deal between the two teams, where RR’s skipper, Sanju Samson, was traded to CSK.
So, the Rajasthan Royals had to find a new captain right before the campaign began. Riyan Parag, who led the team as an interim captain last season, will now be leading the team in this campaign. However, what if we say that Riyan Parag may not have been the first choice as a skipper for the team?
KUMAR SANGAKKARA ON RR CAPTAINCY. 🗣️
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) March 30, 2026
“We had multiple candidates, including Sandeep Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja. We spoke to each candidate multiple times, but Riyan Parag clarity of thought, vision and approach to leadership made him the leading candidate”. (Cricbuzz). pic.twitter.com/bXCCwFQk0Y
Recently, Kumar Sangakkara revealed that Sandeep Sharma was also a captain's choice. He said,“We had multiple candidates, including Sandeep Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja. We spoke to each candidate multiple times, but Riyan Parag clarity of thought, vision and approach to leadership made him the leading candidate.”
Our Take
Sandeep Sharma can simply be termed the most underrated bowler in IPL history. He has been playing in the tournament since the 2013 season, but has never gotten a chance to lead his team. For the Rajasthan Royals, he has already played three seasons, and he is now ready to represent them for the fourth time.
While he was a choice of captain by the coaching staff, Riyan Parag was chosen for the same. The decision by the RR management was also good, as Parag led the team last year in the absence of Sanju Samson, showcasing the fact that he has some experience in the same.
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