ROYAL SNUB: Rajasthan Royals’ turmoil in IPL 2025

The first team which will not even be mathematically in the reckoning for a spot in the Playoffs of the IPL 2025 edition is Rajasthan Royals. On Thursday night, RR lost to Royal Challengers Bengaluru a match they should have won. By the time Josh Hazlewood returned to bowl in his second spell, Dhruv Jurel almost threatened to seal victory. Then came Hazlewood, as he stuck two blows in the 18^th over. The defeat was defining as it derailed RR’s campaign.

In sport, a post mortem is the easiest thing to do. Yet, given the fact RR had made it the Playoffs in the 2024 edition, the insipid performance in the last five weeks plus has been crazy. Sample this, a side which has Yashasvi Jaiswal at the top of the order still loses. To blame Jaiswal would be easy, but wrong. He had done his bit, scored runs as well. The finishing touches could never be provided and blame for this will got to coach/mentor Rahul Dravid.

From the time of the auction, held in Saudi Arabia last year, RR fans have been angry. Not retaining some key players, Yuzvendra Chahal included, has caused anger. RR had also not held back R.Ashwin, Trent Boult and Jos Buttler. Now, these names not being part of RR is being attributed as reasons for the sequence of losses. The way Chahal has bowled for Punjab Kings has been inspiring.

Add a few more factors for RR faring badly. With Rs 41 crores in their purse at the IPL auction, they went in for bowlers like Jofra Archer, who is past prime, Wanindu Hasaranga, a wastrel, Tushar Deshpande and Mahesh Thhekshana. These guys bombed for RR this season. The RR team management made a big mistake in not finding the right replacements. At the start of the season itself, the team was hit by bad luck as Sanju Samson was battling fitness issues. He was in and out, with Riyan Parag as stand-in captain. It did not work.

Why RR chose two home grounds, Jaipur, and first Guwahati was also strange. It made no sense at all. In this IPL, RR relied far too much on the heavy top order. There was no balance in the middle order and tail. The way the batting order was pushed around was also crazy. Amidst all this chaos, RR were forced to throw in Vaibhav Suryavanshi, 14, into the deep end of the pool. The young boy soaked in the pressure well and performed, notably against LSG in the first match of his IPL career. Yet, he is not a Jaiswal who can win them a match single-handedly.

Back to captaincy and leadership, Rahul Dravid had a leg injury and was on a wheelchair. Images of him  being wheeled around made for great viewing but he should have just handed over charge to someone else. The social media is anti- RR for various reasons. Some say, Dravid and Sanju Samson were not on the same page. Even in one match which went into the Super Over against Delhi Capitals, RR flopped the moment they did not choose Nitish Rana and Jaiswal as batters. They had been in red hot form against Delhi Capitals. Who decided on wrong batters is still a mystery.

After Rahul Dravid returned to RR for the 2025 season, post his stint as the Indian coach, there was hype. He was praised sky high as he had forged a good partnership with captain Rohit Sharma in the ICC T20 World Cup last year and before that when India made it to the ICC World Cup final (ODI) in 2023. Club cricket is different and Dravid will now have to introspect. There is no way the team management will sack him overnight, but a loss of face is hurting RR fans.

The latest, there is also a buzz of ‘match fixing’ by the Rajasthan Cricket Association adhoc committee convener. It has been denied, though. When things go wrong and even get denied, it becomes crazy. RR are now fighting so much negativity they can play remaining matches just for pride. One does feel bad for Dravid, as he has not been able to put his best foot forward.