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#Riyan #Parags #vaping #incident #reminder #players #maintain #teams #culture #Sangakkara">Riyan Parag’s vaping incident a reminder that players have to maintain team’s culture: Sangakkara While most things have gone right for Rajasthan Royals on the field this season, the same cannot be said about what has happened off it. First, there was the incident of the team’s manager Romi Bhinder using the mobile phone in the dugout during the IPL match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
He was fined Rs. 1 lakh and issued a warning by the BCCI’s Anti-Corruption and Security Unit. Royals made the world’s richest cricket body even richer on Thursday, with captain Riyan Parag being fined 25 per cent of his match fee for vaping in the dressing room during the match against Punjab Kings.
The Royals head coach Kumar Sangakkara admitted the controversies didn’t really help them. “Such controversies are no positives for the team and all I can say is that both issues have been addressed by the BCCI and the franchise,” he said on the eve of RR’s match against Delhi Capitals. “It is a reminder to the players that they have to maintain the team’s culture.”
About the match, the former Sri Lankan captain said he was expecting a tough challenge from the Capitals, despite their lack of form. “And it looks like another good pitch out there,” he said. “We don’t expect anything less than the best out of DC.”
His skipper may not be in great form, but he pointed out the importance of his knock in the victory against Punjab Kings. “His little innings shifted the momentum in our way,” Sangakkara said. “He brought the momentum back in our favour.”
Published on Apr 30, 2026
While most things have gone right for Rajasthan Royals on the field this season, the…
Sports news
#Sangakkara #Mahanama #named #Sri #Lanka #Cricket #transformation #committee">Sangakkara, Mahanama named in Sri Lanka Cricket transformation committee
Former Sri Lanka internationals Kumar Sangakkara, Roshan Mahanama and Sidath Wettimuny were named in the nine-member transformation committee that will run Sri Lanka Cricket, a day after the previous leadership resigned from their posts.
Local media reports said the former board members had resigned after a meeting with the country’s president Anura Kumara Dissanayake.
Former state minister and businessman Eran Wickramaratne has been named as the chairman of the new interim committee, which aims to implement a new constitution for SLC to ensure better management and transparency.
ALSO READ: Cricket Australia board weighing alternatives after BBL privatisation plans blocked
“Our immediate priority is a total overhaul of the governance framework at SLC,” Wickramaratne said in a statement.
Former Sri Lanka captain Sangakkara, who served as the president of Marylebone Cricket Club in 2019-20, is currently the director of cricket for the Indian Premier League franchise Rajasthan Royals.
Mahanama has also been involved in cricket administration since his international retirement in 1999, having served as an ICC match referee for more than a decade.
Published on Apr 30, 2026
Former Sri Lanka internationals Kumar Sangakkara, Roshan Mahanama and Sidath Wettimuny were named in the nine-member transformation committee that will run Sri Lanka Cricket, a day after the previous leadership resigned from their posts.
Local media reports said the former board members had resigned after a meeting with the country’s president Anura Kumara Dissanayake.
Former state minister and businessman Eran Wickramaratne has been named as the chairman of the new interim committee, which aims to implement a new constitution for SLC to ensure better management and transparency.
ALSO READ: Cricket Australia board weighing alternatives after BBL privatisation plans blocked
“Our immediate priority is a total overhaul of the governance framework at SLC,” Wickramaratne said in a statement.
Former Sri Lanka captain Sangakkara, who served as the president of Marylebone Cricket Club in 2019-20, is currently the director of cricket for the Indian Premier League franchise Rajasthan Royals.
Mahanama has also been involved in cricket administration since his international retirement in 1999, having served as an ICC match referee for more than a decade.
Published on Apr 30, 2026
Former Sri Lanka internationals Kumar Sangakkara, Roshan Mahanama and Sidath Wettimuny were named in the…
Sports news
#Hes #hitting #stitch #runs #Sangakkara #losing #sleep #Parags #poor #form">‘He’s hitting really well, just needs to stitch together few more runs’ – Sangakkara not losing sleep over Parag’s poor form
Rajasthan Royals captain Riyan Parag might be going through one of his leanest spells as a batter in the Indian Premier League. The 24-year-old has struggled so far in IPL 2026, managing just 81 runs from seven innings.
Royals’ coach Kumar Sangakkara, though, isn’t losing sleep over Parag’s batting form.
“I think he’s batting really well,” said Sangakkara on the eve of the Royals’ match against Sunrisers Hyderabad in Jaipur on Saturday.
“When you’re batting well, sometimes you don’t always score. I would have been concerned if he wasn’t hitting the ball well. I think he’s hitting it really well. He just needs to stitch together a few more runs so that he sets himself a good platform to attack in the end,” said Sangakkara.
The former Sri Lankan skipper also explained the rationale behind Parag’s elevation as the Royals’ skipper.
“More than anyone else’s influence, why we chose Riyan as captain is that his learning curve has been steep. He has learned a lot from others, but more importantly, from himself.
“I’ve never seen a young player under so much pressure from the start of his career in RR. Riyan was, a lot of the time, front and centre in a lot of our social media. He was always put out there.
“Because he was an exciting young cricketer and had this aura about him. A pretty good-looking guy as well. But that also brings with it a lot of pressure. And sometimes it’s unfair to have such a young guy be under that pressure. I think he has learned a lot from those experiences,” added Sangakkara.
The Royals coach added that Parag will continue to have the team’s backing as it expects him to grow into the role.
“As a player, as a batter, the franchise backs him 100 per cent. And what’s really exciting for me is to see how he has just embraced the captaincy and the leadership. And you can see even in the last game how good a captain he was. So, I think he will learn more and more about pressure and he will get better.”
Published on Apr 24, 2026
Rajasthan Royals captain Riyan Parag might be going through one of his leanest spells as a batter in the Indian Premier League. The 24-year-old has struggled so far in IPL 2026, managing just 81 runs from seven innings.
Royals’ coach Kumar Sangakkara, though, isn’t losing sleep over Parag’s batting form.
“I think he’s batting really well,” said Sangakkara on the eve of the Royals’ match against Sunrisers Hyderabad in Jaipur on Saturday.
“When you’re batting well, sometimes you don’t always score. I would have been concerned if he wasn’t hitting the ball well. I think he’s hitting it really well. He just needs to stitch together a few more runs so that he sets himself a good platform to attack in the end,” said Sangakkara.
The former Sri Lankan skipper also explained the rationale behind Parag’s elevation as the Royals’ skipper.
“More than anyone else’s influence, why we chose Riyan as captain is that his learning curve has been steep. He has learned a lot from others, but more importantly, from himself.
“I’ve never seen a young player under so much pressure from the start of his career in RR. Riyan was, a lot of the time, front and centre in a lot of our social media. He was always put out there.
“Because he was an exciting young cricketer and had this aura about him. A pretty good-looking guy as well. But that also brings with it a lot of pressure. And sometimes it’s unfair to have such a young guy be under that pressure. I think he has learned a lot from those experiences,” added Sangakkara.
The Royals coach added that Parag will continue to have the team’s backing as it expects him to grow into the role.
“As a player, as a batter, the franchise backs him 100 per cent. And what’s really exciting for me is to see how he has just embraced the captaincy and the leadership. And you can see even in the last game how good a captain he was. So, I think he will learn more and more about pressure and he will get better.”
Published on Apr 24, 2026
Rajasthan Royals captain Riyan Parag might be going through one of his leanest spells as…
![Jurel basks in Tendulkar’s compliment, eyes wicketkeeping consistency under Sangakkara Rajasthan Royals wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel, who effected a stunning stumping of Kolkata Knight Riders batter Cameron Green in the IPL on Sunday, said he was grateful to be working with the legendary Sri Lankan stumper Kumar Sangakkara.“I am very grateful to be playing under Sangakkara (head coach); he is a legend of the game. I am very hardworking and consistent with my wicketkeeping. I want to be consistent rather than doing something magical,” Jurel said.The 25-year-old’s stumping also earned him plaudits from Sachin Tendulkar, who termed Jurel’s exploits behind the stumps ‘simply magnificent’.“It is a dream come true. Such a big legend saw my match and made a special tweet for my stumping. It feels good when such a big cricketer praises you,” Jurel gushed.ALSO READ | Spotlight on pacers as Lucknow Super Giants and Rajasthan Royals aim to move on from defeatsThe Uttar Pradesh-born cricketer is hoping to make the most of home comforts at the Ekana Cricket Ground when his team faces Lucknow Super Giants in Lucknow on Wednesday.“This is my home ground, so I will be able to help my teammates. I have played cricket here since childhood. I am very excited to be playing my home game.”Aiden Markram hoped the Super Giants could turn their home ground into a fortress after they suffered back-to-back defeats here this season.The Super Giants’ batting unit has misfired this season, and their management sought to address it in their last game by pushing Ayush Badoni to open instead of Markram.“Ayush played really nicely the other night against Punjab, and Mitch [Mitchell Marsh] got us off to a pretty good start in the PowerPlay. It is just to free him [Badoni] up. He is a huge talent, and the world has seen that over the last couple of years. I can be that guy in the middle-order and just control things,” Markram said, explaining his role.Published on Apr 21, 2026 #Jurel #basks #Tendulkars #compliment #eyes #wicketkeeping #consistency #Sangakkara](https://i0.wp.com/ss-i.thgim.com/public/incoming/hnzz5y/article70889517.ece/alternates/LANDSCAPE_1200/PTI04_19_2026_000402B.jpg?ssl=1 "Jurel basks in Tendulkar’s compliment, eyes wicketkeeping consistency under Sangakkara Rajasthan Royals wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel, who effected a stunning stumping of Kolkata Knight Riders batter Cameron Green in the IPL on Sunday, said he was grateful to be working with the legendary Sri Lankan stumper Kumar Sangakkara.“I am very grateful to be playing under Sangakkara (head coach); he is a legend of the game. I am very hardworking and consistent with my wicketkeeping. I want to be consistent rather than doing something magical,” Jurel said.The 25-year-old’s stumping also earned him plaudits from Sachin Tendulkar, who termed Jurel’s exploits behind the stumps ‘simply magnificent’.“It is a dream come true. Such a big legend saw my match and made a special tweet for my stumping. It feels good when such a big cricketer praises you,” Jurel gushed.ALSO READ | Spotlight on pacers as Lucknow Super Giants and Rajasthan Royals aim to move on from defeatsThe Uttar Pradesh-born cricketer is hoping to make the most of home comforts at the Ekana Cricket Ground when his team faces Lucknow Super Giants in Lucknow on Wednesday.“This is my home ground, so I will be able to help my teammates. I have played cricket here since childhood. I am very excited to be playing my home game.”Aiden Markram hoped the Super Giants could turn their home ground into a fortress after they suffered back-to-back defeats here this season.The Super Giants’ batting unit has misfired this season, and their management sought to address it in their last game by pushing Ayush Badoni to open instead of Markram.“Ayush played really nicely the other night against Punjab, and Mitch [Mitchell Marsh] got us off to a pretty good start in the PowerPlay. It is just to free him [Badoni] up. He is a huge talent, and the world has seen that over the last couple of years. I can be that guy in the middle-order and just control things,” Markram said, explaining his role.Published on Apr 21, 2026 #Jurel #basks #Tendulkars #compliment #eyes #wicketkeeping #consistency #Sangakkara")
