India's 1983 World Cup-winning member Krishnamachari Srikkanth has launched a full blown attack on Rajasthan Royals’ skipper Riyan Parag following the team’s 57-run thrashing against Sunrisers Hyderabad in IPL 2026 clash. The critique comes at a difficult time for the captain, who was dismissed for only four runs during a disastrous powerplay that saw the Royals reeling at 9/5 while attempting to chase down a formidable target of 217.
Kris Srikkanth lashes out at Riyan Parag
Parag’s individual form has also come under strict scanner, as he has managed to accumulate only 49 runs across five matches this season.
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Parag doesn't bowl Jadeja an over and then offers an explanation: Srikkanth
Beyond his batting, Srikkanth specifically targeted Parag’s tactical decision-making in the field. He pointed out the skipper's choice to keep Ravindra Jadeja out of the bowling attack against the Sunrisers. Srikkanth was particularly dismissive of Parag's rationale, that he withheld the spinner because the left-handed Ishan Kishan was on strike—suggesting that such rigid tactical thinking may be hindering the team's defensive efforts.
"He's only there for style. As usual, he did nothing with the bat and spoke at the post-match presentation. He's just there for style and does nothing else. He doesn't bowl Jadeja an over and then offers an explanation that a left-hander was playing. Is there some rule that a left-arm spinner can't bowl to a left-hander? It's absurd," Srikkanth said on his YouTube channel.
'If RR will bowl like this, they'll receive a thrashing'
After electing to field first, RR found themselves on the receiving end of a massive 216/6 total. The innings began promisingly for the Royals when Jofra Archer struck on the very first ball to dismiss Abhishek Sharma, but the momentum shifted rapidly. Ishan Kishan spearheaded the Sunrisers' charge with a dominant 91 off just 44 deliveries, while Heinrich Klaasen provided a late-innings surge with a brisk 40. The Royals' chase never gained traction, eventually collapsing for 159 as Sunrisers' debutants Praful Hinge and Sakib Hussain dismantled the batting order with four wickets each.
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Srikkanth was particularly critical of the Royals' primary bowling options, highlighting the expensive spells of Sandeep Sharma, Tushar Deshpande, and Ravi Bishnoi. Even Bishnoi, who has been the team's standout performer this season, struggled to contain the flow of runs, finishing wicketless and conceding 35 runs in his three overs. The pace duo of Deshpande and Sandeep fared even worse; despite each claiming a single wicket, they were hit all over the ground, surrendering 55 and 52 runs respectively in their four-over quotas.
"The 11 overs between Tushar Deshpande, Sandeep Sharma, and Ravi Bishnoi went for 142 runs. That's where the match was over. Wherever Sandeep Sharma bowled, they smashed him, and Deshpande was a total failure. Suddenly, RR also has to start thinking about their bowling combination. If they bowl like this, they'll receive a thrashing," Srikkanth signed off.