Nitish Rana recently shared his thoughts on Riyan Parag’s role as captain during the intense match between the Rajasthan Royals and Chennai Super Kings in the IPL 2025. After facing two tough losses, Parag finally secured his first win as captain of the Royals with a nail-biting 6-run victory over the Super Kings on Sunday. There had been a lot of discussion around Parag’s leadership since some fans were worried about the team’s struggles, especially when their bowlers were getting hit hard and the batsmen seemed to be struggling on the pitch. But this match showed a different side. The team seemed to click together, and all parts of their game flowed well, which helped them put an end to their losing streak.
When it came to discussing Riyan’s capabilities as a leader, Nitish made it clear that he doesn’t buy into the idea that a captain’s worth can solely be judged by wins and losses. He sees Riyan as a chill and composed leader. “I think captaincy is all about the results you get. People say if you win, you’re a good captain, but I see it differently. Riyan remains calm on the field, and that’s important,” Nitish mentioned in the post-match talk.
This game was nothing short of thrilling, with the momentum swinging back and forth. There were key moments that turned the tide, and Nitish himself had a performance to remember, smashing 81 runs from just 36 balls, which helped the Royals set a solid target of 182/9. But when asked about the game’s turning point, he pointed to Riyan’s spectacular one-handed catch to dismiss Shivam Dube, which he felt was crucial in shifting the game’s energy.
Even though they managed to post a decent score, Nitish believed they could have aimed higher. He thought a score of 200 would have been more ideal. Jofra Archer, with his fiery bowling in the powerplay, played a major role in keeping Chennai under pressure, which contributed to the Royals’ first victory in this season’s league. “Honestly, I felt we fell a bit short—maybe by 15 to 20 runs. But considering the pitch, 180 was a solid total. Jofra’s bowling really set us up well in those opening overs,” he commented.
