IPL 2026 Eliminator | Reading situations key for RR middle-order: Shanaka

In Rajasthan Royals’ run to the playoffs of IPL 2026, the middle-order has been its soft underbelly.

While the top three of Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Dhruv Jurel have compiled more than 350 runs each, no other batter has even managed a tally of 300 runs in the tournament’s 19th edition.

All-rounder Dasun Shanaka, who has played five games this season, said that the middle-order batters need to take a bit of time to assess the situation at hand.

“Most times, the top-order has done the job. It’s about handling different situations. Following the top-order batters, who are playing at a high strike-rate, there is pressure. The batters in the middle-order need to take a bit of time to establish themselves. As someone who has played a lot of cricket there, I feel we need to stay in longer. That’s the key to success in these tough situations,” the 34-year-old Sri Lankan said on Tuesday (May 26, 2026), on the eve of RR’s Eliminator against Sunrisers Hyderabad here.

Going into the season, RR’s decision to appoint Riyan Parag as skipper faced some flak. Asked for his view on how the 24-year-old had fared in his maiden season as full-time captain, Shanaka said: “Parag sticks to his decisions. That’s what is important. Many people criticise, but I see him as a great leader in the making. I am also a guy who likes to learn from different people. I am also learning from him. Obviously, I am passing messages to him as well, which is really important.”