Rajasthan still grappling with issues regarding team balance following another heavy loss to Gujarat Titans.
Rajasthan still grappling with their inability to find the right balance in their side as they slumped to a heavy defeat against GT yesterday.
This game was a classic example of the Royals lacking a genuine sixth bowling option. In fact, there was not confidence that was shown to part-timers despite the frontline bowlers going well over 10 rpo.
This lack of confidence meant that Gujarat finished with a score of 217 in their innings, a total that was too much for the Royals’ underperforming batting line-up.
Royals dearly felt the absence of Wanindu Hasaranga, who withdrew citing personal reasons. While his replacement, Farooqi did not really disappoint, it was not enough. Royals went for a stretch of 7 overs and 5.4 overs without taking a wicket.
The inability of RR bowlers to take wickets meant that GT set themselves a platform to explode at the end. And they did just that, scoring 72 runs in the last 5 overs.
Even in previous games, their team combination has been subject to questions. The use of 6 batters and their impact sub usage have all come under the microscope. While the win against Punjab did provide a blueprint for better balance, this loss puts them back to square one.
Experts on the Royals grappling these issues
Sanjay Bangar believed that Rajasthan should have had a sixth bowling option on this wicket.
“A wonderful wicket to bat on and the ball was coming on nicely. There was a little bit of pace and bounce which Jofra [Archer] exploited really well – [he was] the standout bowler,” Bangar said on ESPNcricinfo TimeOut show. “But apart from him, just felt that Rajasthan Royals had to have a sixth bowling option to take a little bit of pressure away from the other bowlers. In such batting-friendly conditions, you certainly felt they were under the pump.”
Meanwhile, Wasim Jaffer pointed the absence of Hasaranga as a crucial point in the Royals’ poor showing with the ball.
“I think they missed Hasaranga, somebody who could take wickets in the middle overs,” Wasim Jaffer said. “Theekshana, even though he took a couple of wickets [2 for 54], didn’t look like [he was] putting any pressure. He and Tushar [2 for 53] went for 50-plus, that cost them more than 100 runs in those eight overs.”