Rajasthan Royals captain Riyan Parag delivered a pointed response to questions around his recent off-field controversy after RR slipped to a seven-wicket defeat against Delhi Capitals in IPL 2026 at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium on Friday.
RR vs DC: HIGHLIGHTS | SCORECARD
Parag, who led from the front with a blistering 90 off 50 balls, was asked in the post-match interview whether his innings had helped answer some of the criticism that had followed him in recent days. The RR skipper, however, made it clear that he had little interest in responding to outside noise.
“I don’t think I need to answer any critics or whoever’s talking about it, but at the end of the day, my job is to get two points. So my score, my innings doesn’t really matter if we’ve lost the game,” Parag said after the match.
The Royals captain’s sharp response came after a week in which scrutiny around him had intensified, both for his form and for events away from the field.
Parag brushes aside recent controversy
Parag had come under the scanner earlier this week after being reprimanded for using an e-cigarette in the Rajasthan Royals dressing room during their previous fixture against Punjab Kings in Mullanpur.
The incident drew criticism and prompted disciplinary action, with Parag fined 25 per cent of his match fee. The matter also sparked wider debate, with the BCCI and IPL governing authorities understood to be reviewing whether further action was necessary.
The controversy quickly became one of the biggest talking points around the Royals captain, especially given his patchy returns with the bat this season. But Parag offered no interest in engaging with the criticism, insisting his focus remained solely on results and RR’s push for points in the closing stages of the league phase.
His post-match remarks reflected that stance, with the 24-year-old making it clear that personal narratives mattered little if the team failed to get over the line.
Parag’s 90 goes in vain as DC script record chase
On the field, Parag responded with what was arguably his finest innings of IPL 2026.
Walking in with Rajasthan needing momentum, the right-hander produced a commanding 90 off just 50 deliveries, mixing authority with invention as he drove RR to a formidable 225/4. It was an innings packed with clean striking and smart tempo shifts, helping the Royals recover and accelerate at crucial moments.
His knock appeared to have put RR in control, but Delhi produced a stunning response.
Openers Pathum Nissanka and KL Rahul set the tone with a rapid opening stand, scoring 62 off 33 and 75 off 40 respectively to seize early control of the chase. Their aggressive approach dismantled Rajasthan’s attack and laid the platform for Delhi to complete the highest successful chase in IPL history in the final over.
The defeat leaves Rajasthan fourth on the table with 12 points from 10 matches. With four league games remaining, their playoff fate remains in their own hands, but Parag and RR now have little room for error in the race to the knockouts.
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