RR vs LSG: Why is injured Riyan Parag named in Impact Players' list – Explained

Published - 19 May 2026, 20:12 IST | Updated - 19 May 2026, 20:40 IST

Riyan Parag was ruled out of the Rajasthan Royals' (RR) penultimate game of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 on Tuesday, May 19. This encounter is being played at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur between the Royals and the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG).

Yashasvi Jaiswal walked out at the toss on Tuesday and informed that regular captain Parag is unavailable for the game as he is dealing with a hamstring injury. The opening batter confirmed that Parag will be back to full fitness soon.

However, Parag was named in the list of the Impact Players. This led to a confusion among the cricket enthusiasts.

So the reason is that, according to the new rule, only players named in the 16-member match squad can go onto the field. The rest have to stay in the dugout. Parag is in the Impact Sub list so that he can guide the players with his experience from just outside the boundary.

This is an interesting move from the Royals' camp. Parag won't come out to bat as Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has been kept in the Impact Players' list and should replace one of the Royals' bowlers in the second innings.

The Royals seem to be in for a tough run chase. They can qualify for the playoffs by winning this game and the next one against the Mumbai Indians. However, if they lose either of the matches, they will have to rely on other results.

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The Super Giants, on the other hand, have nothing to lose. Rishabh Pant and Co. have been eliminated form the competition and have been playing fearless cricket since the last game. Thanks to a 109-run opening stand between Josh Inglis and Mitchell Marsh, the visitors have gotten off to a fantastic start against the Royals. They will be looking to push for a 220-plus total.