'He will come back strong': RR coach backs Riyan Parag amid lean patch in IPL 2026
Despite Riyan Parag's quiet start to IPL 2026, Rajasthan Royals batting coach Vikram Rathour remains confident in his captain's ability to rebound. Parag has struggled for runs, but Rathour insists there's no technical issue, attributing the dip to the natural ebb and flow of cricket. He anticipates a strong comeback from the skipper.
Riyan Parag’s underwhelming form in IPL 2026 may be a concern on paper, but Vikram Rathour isn’t losing sleep over it. The Rajasthan Royals batting coach remains confident that his skipper will turn things around as the tournament progresses. Parag, whose appointment as captain raised a few eyebrows given the presence of established names like Yashasvi Jaiswal and Dhruv Jurel, has endured a tough start.
In eight matches, he has managed just 88 runs at a strike rate of 112. 82, with a highest score of 20. Despite the numbers, Rathour dismissed concerns about Parag’s technique or approach.
“There is nothing going wrong with him. He is batting well in the nets and working hard,” he said. Parag’s struggles stand in stark contrast to the form of RR’s top performers.
Teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has been exceptional, while Jaiswal and Jurel have also delivered consistently, carrying much of the batting responsibility. In fact, Parag currently trails even behind contributors like Ravindra Jadeja and Donovan Ferreira in the run charts. His latest dismissal against Sunrisers Hyderabad summed up his struggles.