With the IPL just five days away, injuries have become a major headache for teams. Rajasthan Royals have announced Dasun Shanaka as the replacement for Sam Curran. He brings that finishing ability and a bit of flexibility with the ball, which can be useful in tight games where roles tend to overlap
Rajasthan Royals will kick off their IPL 2026 campaign with a high-voltage clash against Chennai Super Kings at Barsapara Stadium on March 30.
He was last seen in the IPL in 2023 for Gujarat Titans, where he got only three matches to play. Recently, in the T20 World Cup, he played a crucial role for Sri Lanka, scoring 165 runs in six innings with a strike rate of 187.50. His memorable knock came against Pakistan, where he scored 76 (31), though Sri Lanka lost in the final over. He will join Rajasthan Royals for the 2026 season as a replacement for Curran. Reports suggest that Shanaka is leaving his PSL contract to join the IPL. With Adam Milne, who was signed at auction to bolster the pace attack, is also doubtful after sustaining a hamstring injury during the SA20 tournament.
Previously, Curran was traded from Chennai Super Kings to Rajasthan Royals along with Ravindra Jadeja in place of Sanju Samson.
Rajasthan Royals will look to find their best playing XI and prepare to perform better this season under the new coach coming in (Kumar Sangakara) Head coach and new leadership group led by Riyan Parag. After winning only the inaugural edition in 2008, the Royals are desperate to add their second IPL trophy.
Rajasthan Royals Squad: Riyan Parag (C), Ravindra Jadeja, Donovan Ferreira, Sandeep Sharma, Shubham Dubey, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Lhuan-Dre Pretorius, Shimron Hetmyer, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel, Yudhvir Singh Charak, Jofra Archer, Tushar Deshpande, Kwena Maphaka, Nandre Burger, Ravi Bishnoi, Sushant Mishra, Yash Raj Punja, Vignesh Puthur, Ravi Singh, Aman Rao, Brijesh Sharma, Adam Milne, Kuldeep Sen, Dasun Shanaka.