Former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar has called the Rajasthan Royals decision to appoint Riyan Parag as captain for the IPL 2026 campaign as something which 'makes no sense' on the cricketing field. Riyan Parag has been with the Rajasthan franchise since 2019 and has shown glimpses of his ability with the bat although he has struggled to do it consistently But the franchise has put in their trust in the 24-year old to captain the side this season. Rajasthan have had a decent campaign so far but Manjrekar is of the view that this move has indeed raised questions. Speaking on Sportstar's Insight Edge podcast, Manjrekar stated that Parag's personality and self-belief is something that stands out and he cannot quite grasp the extent of faith the Rajasthan Royals have placed in the player. Manjrekar said: "He's not one of your typical Indian players. He's fit and just the way he walks around and everything struts around. But I would say after the kind of performances I've seen over the years. It is something that I find a little strange that the Rajasthan Royals have backed him so much." Also Read | IPL 2026 DC vs CSK Match 48: Stats Review, Player Records & Milestones 'It Makes No Sense': Leadership Call Under Scrutiny Manjrekar went on to touch upon the captaincy change and the thought process behind it which has seen Parag replace Sanju Samson at the helm. Sanjay asserted: "I mean, Sanju Samson captained them for a few years, and then he was removed, and Riyan Parag took over. I don't know what happened there. But I don't think from a cricketing point of view, it makes any sense at all." He further added: "It's a bit harsh to say this but he's just got too much as a reward. Having not really worked hard for those rewards. So it's a very interesting case pertaining to the Rajasthan Royals," Parag has also been in the news recently being fined 25 percent of his match fees for vaping in the dressing room during a game against Punjab Kings adding another aspect to the discussion around him this season. Meanwhile, Manjrekar does acknowledge Parag's belief as one of his distinctive traits that sometimes works to his detriment. Manjrekar added: "What catches the eye about Riyan Parag is his unbelievable self-confidence. Even when he was not delivering, if you saw him in the field, the kind of stuff that he did. It was just almost arrogance for somebody who was struggling to fit in or deliver." The former India batter also made observations regarding Parag's batting approach and propensity for playing risky shots. Manjrekar observed: "So when I see his overall career as well, you would seem he would have played numerous innings of 14 or 15 runs, where he would come in and hit a couple of cracking shots, and you would be blown away. And then the next body's playing the same shot and getting out. That is his MO," he Concluded: "That is how Riyan Parag generally plays: sensational shots but I think somewhere the overconfidence or whatever just gets him to keep trying to play those shots. And because he mishits so many and gets out he's obviously not focusing on every attacking shot he plays." Manjrekar lastly said: "So he's an interesting character. That is the captain after all that is something that I've never understood with the Rajasthan Royals."