'Ba**s of steel': Ravi Shastri’s explosive verdict on Riyan Parag’s captaincy
Rajasthan Royals secured a thrilling six-run victory over Gujarat Titans, thanks to skipper Riyan Parag's astute captaincy. Parag's bold decision to hand Jofra Archer the crucial penultimate over, influenced by Dhruv Jurel, proved pivotal. Archer's disciplined bowling restricted Gujarat, allowing Tushar Deshpande to seal the win in the final over.
Former stars lauded Parag's composure and leadership.
Rajasthan Royals skipper Riyan Parag found himself at the centre of a gripping IPL 2026 contest, as a bold late-game decision helped his side edge past Gujarat Titans by six runs in Ahmedabad. The call not only proved decisive but also earned admiration from former India coach Ravi Shastri. Defending a sizeable 211 at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Rajasthan appeared to be cruising for large parts of the chase.
That changed rapidly when Rashid Khan and Kagiso Rabada launched a fierce counterattack, scoring at nearly a 200 strike rate to drag Gujarat back into contention. With momentum shifting, the equation came down to 15 required from the final 12 balls. At that critical stage, Parag opted to back Jofra Archer for the penultimate over.
The move paid off instantly. Archer stuck to hard lengths and used his pace effectively, giving the batters no room to free their arms. The over yielded just four runs, with Rashid and Rabada limited to singles and no boundary conceded, tightening the equation to 11 off the final over.