"Riyan Parag is not established" - Aakash Chopra reveals Rajasthan Royals’ biggest issues

The former Indian batter and commentator Aakash Chopra sent a bold warning to Rajasthan Royals ahead of the upcoming IPL 2026, starting on March 28. He feels the Rajasthan Royals may have built an exciting team, but excitement alone does not win a long tournament like the IPL.

The Royals will kick off their IPL 2026 campaign against the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on March 30 in Guwahati. They have not won the trophy since their success in the 2008 season and have reached the final only a couple of times under several influential leaders.

Aakash Chopra warns Rajasthan Royals ahead of PL 2026

Now, with the new season around the corner, Chopra admitted that the current RR squad has talent but lacks experience, especially in the batting line-up. RR has young, fearless hitters, but when the pressure gets high, an inexperienced batting unit can collapse, and Chopra warned of that risk.

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Rajasthan Royals made a huge call before the season by trading Sanju Samson to the Chennai Super Kings. With that move, they lost one of their most experienced batters and a captain who had carried the side for years. Now the burden shifts to a much younger group.

At the top, Yashasvi Jaiswal is the biggest name, but he is still young. Vaibhav Suryavanshi has attacking talent, but he is still very new.

Dhruv Jurel is still unproven in the IPL: Aakash Chopra on Rajasthan Royals' issues

Then there's Dhruv Jurel, who was retained by the franchise for a whopping ₹14 crore and backed by them immensely. But Chopra was not that convinced of his power, saying the young wicketkeeper still has not truly proved himself in the IPL.

Aakash Chopra said in a video posted on his YouTube channel, “You can call it weaknesses or challenges. The batting lineup is extremely young. Yashasvi Jaiswal is experienced, but he is still young. Vaibhav Suryavanshi is hitting a lot, but he is a young kid. Dhruv Jurel has immense potential, but he is still unproven in the IPL because he hasn't scored runs there.”

Aakash Chopra raises big concerns over Rajasthan Royals batting

Meanwhile, the cricket pundit admitted that Riyan Parag has shown promise, but he is still not a fully established international star. He also feels sorry for Shimron Hetmyer as he brings power and experience, but RR will not be able to use him in his best batting position.

Chopra further explained, “Riyan Parag has shown a lot of promise and potential, but he is not an established international star. Shimron Hetmyer is there for sure, but the number at which he batted for the West Indies isn't available. No matter what you do, you won't be able to play him there. Donovan Ferreira has limited international experience.”

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He explained how RR’s batting lineup is a major challenge for them in the upcoming IPL 2026. The cricket pandit explained, “When I look at the top six, a lot of potential is seen, but international experience is very, very limited, except for Shimron Hetmyer, for whom they will not be able to give the number at which he has been successful. So that is a bit of a challenge.”

RR's spin department looks shaky

The former Indian cricketer has also pointed to the spin attack as another weak area for the Rajasthan Royals. He said that the Royals have two strong spinners in Ravindra Jadeja and Ravi Bishnoi, but their form is concerning.

In IPL 2025, Bishnoi took only 9 wickets in 11 innings and leaked runs at an economy of 10.83. That is a worrying sign for a frontline spinner.

On the other hand, Jadeja’s wicket-taking form in T20 cricket has dropped, and Chopra noted that he has not been that effective in the last two seasons.

He signed off by saying, “So, you have two good spinners for sure, but their current form is not their friend. You can see that as a challenge.”