Rajasthan Royals’ IPL 2026 campaign was not neat, but it was full of life. They started like a side that had cracked the code, lost their way in the middle, stumbled into a final-week scrap, then somehow pulled themselves back together when the season was threatening to slip away.

They beat Mumbai Indians in a must-win final league game, knocked out Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Eliminator, and finally stopped one step short of the final after losing Qualifier 2 to Gujarat Titans. Third place is not a trophy, but after finishing ninth last season, it is a serious climb.

Still, this was also a year that left Rajasthan with a little ache.

They had Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s genius, Jofra Archer’s best rhythm in years, Dhruv Jurel’s maturity, and Riyan Parag’s brave but imperfect captaincy. There was enough here to dream. There was also enough missing to explain why the dream ended early.

What went wrong for RR in IPL 2026

Rajasthan’s biggest issue was the middle-order bridge. The top order gave them plenty, especially through Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, while Dhruv Jurel grew beautifully into the No.

3 roles. But after that, the innings too often became dependent on improvisation.

Riyan Parag’s batting never truly took off, and the hamstring issue made his season even more complicated. Donovan Ferreira showed real finishing power, but he looked better suited to No. 6 than to be used higher up. Shimron Hetmyer and Dasun Shanaka failed to offer the reliability RR needed at the death.

The Jadeja question also hurt them. Ravindra Jadeja’s batting saved Rajasthan from several messy situations, but his bowling was not used enough. Some of that came down to his elbow and knee niggles late in the season, but even before that, RR never fully built games around his all-round value.

A player like Jadeja should not feel like a half-used luxury.

The bowling had quality, but not always control. Archer was superb and carried the attack, while Nandre Burger started brilliantly and finished strongly. But in the middle of the season, the support around Archer leaked. Yash Raj Punja and Brijesh Sharma were exciting, but both are still learning. Tushar Deshpande did not justify his price tag, and Ravi Bishnoi losing his place showed how quickly the pecking order changed.

IPL 2026: Full Rajasthan Royals player ratings

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi – 10/10

A season that barely feels real. At 15, he scored 776 runs and became the biggest reason Rajasthan reached the playoffs. His ability to read match situations, attack without panic and shift gears at will was frighteningly mature. RR can say with pride that they have a generational talent in their squad, and this is only the beginning.

Jofra Archer – 9/10

Archer looked like Archer again, and that alone was one of Rajasthan’s biggest wins. He bowled with pace, hostility and control, carried the attack for most of the season, and even produced vital lower-order runs.

The only regret is that RR could not turn such a strong Archer season into a final.

Dhruv Jurel – 8/10

A proper breakout as a full-time No. 3. Jurel crossed 500 runs at a 150-plus strike rate and gave Rajasthan technical stability in a batting order that often leaned too heavily on chaos. He still needs to improve strike rotation against spin, but his temperament is excellent.

Ravindra Jadeja – 8/10

Jadeja held the side together in tough moments. His batting was calm, smart and repeatedly useful in collapse situations. Injury stopped RR from using him fully, but the management must make better use of his bowling next year. He remains a high-value glue player.

Yash Raj Punja – 8/10

A big surprise. Punja showed control, temperament and the rare ability to bowl well even when pitches were flat. His line and length can drift, and his fitness and fielding need work, but for ₹30 lakh, this was a major win for the squad.

Donovan Ferreira – 7/10

Ferreira showed destructive finishing ability and should be backed. The key is role clarity. He looks far more dangerous at No. 6, where he can attack immediately, rather than being asked to build an innings too early.

Nandre Burger – 7/10

An up-and-down season, but a good one overall. He was excellent during RR’s four-match winning start, lost control in the middle phase, then returned strongly in the final three games. Still worth backing because left-arm pace with wicket-taking intent is valuable.

Brijesh Sharma – 7/10

For someone with almost no professional background before this season, Brijesh showed great skill. He has variations and confidence, but pressure still affects his shape. More domestic cricket should sharpen him.

Yashasvi Jaiswal – 6/10

A 400-plus run season sounds fine, but for Jaiswal, it felt below par. He started well, then lost rhythm and shape. This was a poor season by his standards, not a career concern. He is too good not to bounce back.

Riyan Parag – 5/10

A mixed season. As captain, he deserves credit for taking RR from ninth last year to third this season. That is not small. But as a batter, he was disappointing. Injury played a part, but Rajasthan needed Parag fit and firing, not half-fit and producing cameos.

Shubham Dubey – 5.5/10

A useful squad player who showed promise as an Impact option. Needs to improve offside hitting, but there is enough value to keep him.

Ravi Singh – 5/10

Limited chances, but his fielding was excellent and his energy stood out. Hard to judge fully, but he looks worth retaining as a squad batter.

Sushant Mishra – 5/10

Showed promise but looked short of rhythm. His line was loose at times, likely due to a lack of match sharpness. The potential is there.

Ravi Bishnoi – 4/10

A disappointing season. Losing his spot to Punja was telling. He remains talented, but RR must decide whether he fits the balance they now want.

Shimron Hetmyer – 3/10

Another poor campaign. He failed in the finisher role and was rightly dropped. Rajasthan should release him and free the overseas slot.

Dasun Shanaka – 3/10

Could not solve the finishing issue. RR needed more from that role, and Shanaka did not provide it.

Tushar Deshpande – 3/10

One good over does not justify ₹6.5 crore. He was expensive, inconsistent, and should be released before next season.

What RR must change for IPL 2027

Rajasthan Royals need a proper No. 5 batter. Someone who plays spin well, can construct an innings and does not leave the entire middle phase to Jurel, Parag or Jadeja. If they can find an Indian option, it would be a huge balance win.

They also need to refresh the finisher slots. Hetmyer and Shanaka should go. If Sam Curran is not in the plan, RR need an overseas all-rounder who can finish games and ideally bowl at the death. A Jamie Smith-type profile, or any explosive lower-middle-order batter with game sense, should be explored.

The bowling needs one more Indian death-overs option. Archer cannot be expected to carry the attack every year, and another full season from him is not guaranteed. Burger, Punja and Brijesh are worth developing, but RR needs experience around them.

Rajasthan Royals should feel proud and frustrated at the same time. From ninth to third is a real jump. Vaibhav became a superstar, Jurel became dependable, Archer returned to elite levels, and Parag showed leadership promise. But the middle order, overseas finishing roles and death-bowling support kept them from going all the way.

This was a strong season for Rajasthan Royals with obvious cracks. Fix those, and RR can stop being the team with the great story and become the team holding the trophy.