Synopsis
Rajasthan Royals must reconsider their auction strategies and address their weaknesses following consecutive defeats in IPL 2025, says former player Robin Uthappa. The team has struggled to find balance despite a major player acquisition and requires a stronger bowling performance to compete effectively.Key Takeaways
- Rajasthan Royals need to rethink their auction strategy.
- Back-to-back defeats highlight team weaknesses.
- Bowling department lacks depth and reliability.
- Jofra Archer’s return from injury is critical.
- Yashasvi Jaiswal missed a key opportunity to score.
New Delhi, March 27 (NationPress) Former India wicketkeeper-batter Robin Uthappa believes that Rajasthan Royals (RR) must reconsider their auction strategy and evaluate their weaknesses after enduring consecutive losses in the current Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season.
Rajasthan faced a defeat against Sunrisers Hyderabad in their opening match, followed by another loss against the defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on Wednesday.
Despite acquiring 14 players in last year's mega auction held in Jeddah, the Jaipur-based franchise has yet to establish the right balance in their playing eleven.
In contrast to their batting lineup, which includes prominent Indian players like Sanju Samson, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel, and Riyan Parag, Rajasthan's bowling department is underperforming with Jofra Archer and Sandeep Sharma struggling.
Archer endured the most expensive spell in IPL history, conceding 76 runs in just four overs against Sunrisers Hyderabad.
"They need to reflect on their auction strategy and assess what they might have overlooked. However, they lack the luxury of hindsight at this moment. Their bowling attack appears somewhat weak, heavily depending on Sandeep Sharma and Jofra Archer. It's vital to note that Jofra Archer is returning to competitive cricket after a break of over two and a half years and has faced numerous injuries and challenges affecting his performance. This undoubtedly impacts a player’s mental state and confidence. There’s much to consider here," the former Indian cricketer stated on JioHotstar.
Uthappa also pointed out that Jaiswal failed to capitalize on his opportunity to score a significant innings, getting out for 29 as Rajasthan could only manage 151/9 after batting first in Guwahati.
"This was his chance to take responsibility and lead his team. He was well set on a pitch that wasn’t particularly conducive for batting. By that, I mean compared to the high-scoring wickets we often see nowadays, especially with the impact player rule allowing teams to have up to eight specialist batters, plus an all-rounder, effectively providing them nine batting options. With such depth, batters are encouraged to take risks, but understanding the conditions and match scenario is critical. Unfortunately, Yashasvi did not manage to do that today," he added.
In pursuit of 152, Quinton de Kock scored an unbeaten 97, featuring eight fours and six sixes, leading his team to a comfortable eight-wicket victory.
