Who Will Captain Rajasthan Royals? Dhruv Jurel, Yashasvi Jaiswal In Contention As Sanju Samson Nears CSK Move: Report

Rajasthan Royals are set to head into IPL 2026 with a new captain at the helm. Incumbent Sanju Samson is heading towards Chennai Super Kings in a trade involving Ravindra Jadeja. Samson has been the franchise captain since 2021, with Riyan Parag filling in as interim after Sanju's injury last season.

Parag however is believed to be not in contention for the role. Homegrown talents Yashasvi Jaiswal and Dhruv Jurel are in the mix, should the Samson trade to CSK go through. RR are deliberating on a choice, with Jurel's keeping a huge plus in their thinking.

Jurel vs Jaiswal: Royals hunt for new skipper

As per Times of India, Rajasthan Royals have considered both Dhruv Jurel and Yashasvi Jaiswal for the captaincy spot. Like Sanju, both have made their debuts for the franchise and have gone on to represent the Indian team based on their exploits in the IPL and domestic cricket.

The report states both Jaiswal and Jurel were informed of Royals' thinking, who had earlier informed them to be 'ready' for captaincy. It is important to note that earlier this year, Jaiswal had agreed a move to Goa from Mumbai in domestic cricket with eyes on captaincy. He however stayed put and played in the Ranji Trophy matches last week.

The ball is currently however in Jurel's court. The Madhya Pradesh keeper's versatility has him pipping ahead of Jaiswal. Sanju's departure will open the wicketkeeping spot for him. His ability to dovetail middle order and finishing roles also is a plus. Samson kept wickets and lead the side, as did head coach Kumar Sangakkara in his glorious international career with Sri Lanka.

Riyan Parag's exclusion from the race, though suprising, has been coming. The Royals are in the process of a complete overhaul after finishing 9th last year. Parag captained the side in half those games, but did not make much of an impression.

Jadeja seems to be out of contention as well, but is another option Royals could look at . The 37-year-old had a short stint as CSK skipper before handing the reigns back to MS Dhoni. Will the trade prompt him to reignite his captaincy ambitions remains to be seen.