Rajasthan Royals won the inaugural IPL title in 2008 — the only IPL team alongside Gujarat Titans (2022) to win the championship in their debut season. Captained by Riyan Parag in his first full season as RR skipper, the Royals finished 4th in IPL 2026 and are in the playoffs — Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s extraordinary 97 off 29 balls powered them past SRH by 47 runs in the Eliminator on May 27. They face Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 2 on May 29 with a place in the final at stake. The franchise is famous for unearthing young Indian talent — Yashasvi Jaiswal (IPL 2023 sensation), Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (15 years old, youngest IPL centurion, Orange Cap leader with 680 runs), and Riyan Parag have all emerged through RR’s pipeline. Here’s the full RR story.
Quick Answer
Rajasthan Royals (founded 2008, owned by Manoj Badale group) play home matches at Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur. IPL titles: 1 (2008 — inaugural champions). Captain: Riyan Parag (IPL 2026). IPL 2026 position: 4th in league stage — in playoffs (Qualifier 2 vs GT, May 29). RR and Gujarat Titans are the only IPL franchises to win the title in their debut season.
Rajasthan Royals’ IPL Title History
Rajasthan Royals won the inaugural IPL title in 2008 — captained by the legendary Shane Warne in his only captaincy stint in T20 cricket. The final was played at DY Patil Stadium on 1 June 2008, with RR beating Chennai Super Kings by 3 wickets in a thrilling chase off the last ball — Yusuf Pathan top-scored with 56. RR’s auction strategy that year (the smallest spend among 8 franchises) and Warne’s mentorship of unknown Indian talent like Yusuf Pathan, Ravindra Jadeja and Munaf Patel became the IPL’s foundational underdog story. RR returned to the final in IPL 2022, losing to Gujarat Titans by 7 wickets at Narendra Modi Stadium — Buttler scored the most IPL runs in a season that year (863, an all-time record).
Rajasthan Royals IPL 2026 Squad
RR’s IPL 2026 squad is captained by Riyan Parag — his first full season as RR skipper after Sanju Samson stepped aside from the captaincy. Batting core: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sanju Samson (wicketkeeper-batter), Riyan Parag, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (15-year-old prodigy, Orange Cap leader, 680 IPL 2026 runs at SR 232+), Shimron Hetmyer, Dhruv Jurel (Indian Test wicketkeeper). Bowlers: Jofra Archer, Ravi Bishnoi, Wanindu Hasaranga, Sandeep Sharma, Akash Madhwal. Sooryavanshi’s IPL 2026 has been the tournament’s defining story — his 103 off 37 balls vs SRH (3rd fastest IPL century ever) and his 97 off 29 balls in the Eliminator have broken records across every match he has played.
RR IPL Records — Season by Season
| Season | Position | Captain | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 1st | Shane Warne | Champion 🏆 (Inaugural!) |
| 2009 | 6th | Shane Warne | League stage |
| 2013 | 3rd | Rahul Dravid | Eliminator |
| 2015 | 4th | Steven Smith | Eliminator |
| 2018 | 4th | Ajinkya Rahane | Eliminator |
| 2020 | 8th | Steven Smith | Eliminated |
| 2022 | 2nd | Sanju Samson | Runner-up |
| 2024 | 3rd | Sanju Samson | Qualifier 2 |
| 2025 | 9th | Riyan Parag / Sanju Samson | Eliminated |
| 2026* | 4th | Riyan Parag | Playoffs — Qualifier 2 vs GT (May 29) 🔥 |
📊 RR’s Identity in Numbers
Rajasthan Royals were banned from IPL for two seasons (2016 and 2017) following the 2013 spot-fixing controversy. Despite being one of the smallest-budget franchises across most IPL seasons, RR have qualified for 6 playoffs in their 17 active seasons. Their auction strategy of identifying young Indian talent at base price has produced Yusuf Pathan (2008 hero), Ravindra Jadeja (RR debut at 19), Sanju Samson (RR debut at 18), Yashasvi Jaiswal (RR debut at 18), and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (RR debut at 14). Jos Buttler’s 863 runs in IPL 2022 remain the most by any batter in a single IPL season.
RR’s All-Time Top Performers
RR at Sawai Mansingh (Home)
- Win rate: 56% (mid-tier)
- Avg first innings: 175
- Batting-friendly with reasonable boundaries
- Hot evenings affect bowlers
- Capacity 23,000 (smaller venue)
RR Away
- Win rate: 44%
- Best away venue: Wankhede (6 in 12)
- Eden Gardens: 4 wins in 10
- Chinnaswamy: 4 wins in 9
- UAE record: 7 wins in 14
Rajasthan Royals’ brand is the IPL’s most distinctive — the small-budget franchise that built itself on finding 18-year-old Indian batters and turning them into stars. And in IPL 2026, that pipeline has produced something cricket may never see again. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi at 15 is not just the Orange Cap leader — he is running one of the most extraordinary batting seasons in all of sport. His 97 off 29 balls in the Eliminator, narrowly missing Chris Gayle’s record for the fastest IPL century, summed up a campaign where he has broken the record for most sixes in a single IPL season, scored the fastest century of IPL 2026 (103 off 37 balls vs SRH), and essentially carried RR into the playoffs single-handedly.
The contrarian read: RR wobbled badly mid-season — losses to GT and DC at crucial stages nearly cost them their playoff place. Riyan Parag has earned his captaincy vindication, guiding the side through adversity to a Qualifier 2 berth against a GT side that beat RCB’s top two finish on the same 18 points. Jofra Archer’s 3/58 in the Eliminator reminds you that when the bowling fires alongside Sooryavanshi, this RR side can beat anyone. If they make the final, it will be one of the great IPL stories. The next 48 hours may define the next decade of this franchise.
Rajasthan Royals IPL — FAQs
How many IPL titles has Rajasthan Royals won?
Rajasthan Royals have won 1 IPL title — the inaugural IPL 2008 championship under captain Shane Warne. They beat Chennai Super Kings by 3 wickets in the final at DY Patil Stadium on 1 June 2008. RR and Gujarat Titans (2022) are the only IPL franchises to win the title in their debut season.
Who is the current captain of Rajasthan Royals?
Riyan Parag is the current RR captain in IPL 2026 — his first full season as the franchise’s skipper. Parag took over the captaincy permanently from Sanju Samson ahead of IPL 2026 after previously standing in as deputy during Samson’s injury absences in IPL 2025. Parag guided RR to 4th place in the league stage and has since led them past SRH in the Eliminator (May 27) to reach Qualifier 2 on May 29.
Where does Rajasthan Royals play home matches?
Rajasthan Royals play home matches at Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur, capacity 23,000 — the smallest IPL home venue. RR have a 56% home win rate at Jaipur. The batting-friendly surface and hot evening conditions are part of RR’s tactical identity.
When did Rajasthan Royals win their first IPL title?
Rajasthan Royals won their first IPL title in IPL 2008 — the inaugural season. They beat CSK by 3 wickets in the final at DY Patil Stadium on 1 June 2008 with Yusuf Pathan’s 56 the standout knock. Shane Warne captained the side in his only T20 captaincy stint.
Who is the youngest IPL centurion?
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi of Rajasthan Royals became the youngest IPL centurion ever in IPL 2025 at age 14 — scoring 101 off 38 balls against Gujarat Titans. Now 15 and playing in IPL 2026, he has gone even further — his 103 off 37 balls against SRH in IPL 2026 is the third-fastest century in IPL history, and his 97 off 29 in the Eliminator nearly broke Chris Gayle’s record for the fastest IPL hundred (30 balls). He leads the IPL 2026 Orange Cap race with 680 runs and has broken Gayle’s record for most sixes in a single IPL season.
Bottom Line
Rajasthan Royals’ 1 IPL title (2008 inaugural) and famous talent-spotting strategy define their unique IPL identity — the underdog franchise that finds future India stars at age 14-18. The IPL 2026 playoffs run — 4th in the league stage, Eliminator winners over SRH, and Qualifier 2 vs GT on May 29 — has been built almost entirely on the back of Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s historic season: 680 runs, Orange Cap, most sixes ever in a single IPL season, and a 97 off 29 in the Eliminator that left the cricketing world speechless. Track ongoing form via our IPL 2026 points table and Sooryavanshi’s career stats.
