India, March 19 -- Riyan Parag, on Thursday, addressed the void left by Sanju Samson at Rajasthan Royals, admitting that replacing a player of his calibre is no easy task. Drawing a bold comparison with stalwarts Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, the new RR captain underlined the scale of the challenge ahead, while also outlining the team's plans to rebuild and move forward after Samson's departure ahead of the 2026 season of the Indian Premier League.

Samson was the face of the Rajasthan franchise for more than a decade, having represented the side across 11 seasons, and also served as the IPL captain for five straight seasons, between 2021 and 2025. However, ahead of the auction last December, he was traded to Chennai Super Kings in a high...