Rajasthan Royals have turned to 21-year-old Emanjot Singh Chahal after a hamstring strain ended Ravi Singh’s IPL 2026. The franchise confirmed on Friday, “Ravi has suffered a hamstring strain and will take no further part in the competition.” Chahal comes in on a replacement contract worth INR 30 lakh.
Singh, a wicketkeeper-batter, fetched INR 95 lakh at December’s auction but managed only one appearance this season, making 4 off 2 balls against Delhi Capitals while slotting in at No. 6. The injury leaves the Royals a batter light just as the play-off race tightens.
Chahal offers a different skill-set—a left-arm orthodox spinner who bats right-handed. He is yet to feature in senior-level T20 or List A cricket, so this call-up represents a sharp learning curve. In three first-class outings for Punjab he has 105 runs (best 83) and 11 wickets, respectable if hardly headline-grabbing numbers. His domestic coach, Vikram Rathour, said earlier this year, “Emanjot is raw but he’s got a repeatable action and a calm head; give him a bit of time and he’ll surprise people.”
Whether that time exists in a must-win scenario is another matter. Rajasthan sit fourth and head to the Wankhede on Sunday afternoon to face Mumbai Indians. Victory guarantees the final play-off berth; defeat opens the door for chasing teams on net run-rate. Skipper Sanju Samson kept it simple: “Win on Sunday and we’re through—that’s all we’re thinking about.”
Chahal’s inclusion should at least give Samson a second spin option alongside the in-form Yuzvendra Chahal (no relation). How many overs the youngster actually bowls may depend on conditions—but with little margin for error, every resource counts.
