Rajasthan Royals (RR) will lock horns with Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 Eliminator fixture on Wednesday, May 27 at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur. Ahead of the game, RR's overseas all-rounder Dasun Shanaka has made a big claim on Riyan Parag's leadership skills.
Dasun Shanaka reflects on Riyan Parag's captaincy
At the pre-game press conference, the Sri Lankan T20I skipper lavished praise on RR skipper Riyan Parag, saying that the right-handed batter is doing a great job in the ongoing season. The star all-rounder believes that Parag is going to be a big leader for both RR and Team India in the near future.
Also Read: WATCH: Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers' heartwarming moment melts fans after RCB's big win vs GT
"Riyan is a young captain. He is learning as well. He has done a wonderful job as a captain this year. Many people criticise him, but I feel he is a great leader in the making, both for RR and Team India," said Shanaka.
While continuing, Shanaka noted the importance of having someone like Kumar Sangakkara around, as he knows how to help everyone in the team. Shanaka also revealed that Sangakkara keeps the environment very calm at the dressing room.
"The impact of Sanga, he has been around the team for five to six years. He knows how to help each individual. He has kept a calm environment in the dressing room. The experience he has is immense. He is a World Cup-winning player and captained the national team for many years. He is doing a good job for us," added Shanaka.
Riyan Parag's underwhelming campaign in IPL 2026
Despite guiding RR to the playoffs, Riyan Parag has endured a challenging campaign as an individual in IPL 2026, the right-handed batter has managed to score only 272 runs in 12 games at an average of 24.72 with a strike ate of 152.80. The RR skipper has scored only two fifties this season, with 90 off 50 against DC being his highest score. The Assam batter missed two games in the season because of a hamstring injury.