In what has become a frustrating season for the Rajasthan Royals, head coach Rahul Dravid did not shy away from voicing his disappointment after the team’s latest defeat at the hands of the Punjab Kings. The loss, their tenth of the IPL 2025 season, has pushed the Royals down to ninth on the points table—far from where they began the tournament with genuine playoff aspirations.
Despite an early spark that included a remarkable century from young prospect Vaibhav Suryavanshi, RR has consistently fallen short in crucial areas. Speaking after their 8-wicket loss, Dravid pointed to failures with both bat and ball, making it clear that the problems were widespread. “There’s no point just blaming the batsman. I think with the ball also, to be honest, I didn’t think it was a 220 wicket, it was about a 195, 200 wicket, and we gave 20 runs extra,” he said.
He elaborated further, emphasising that their struggles in bowling have left them chasing daunting totals almost every match. “If we look at the numbers, we have probably not been good enough with the ball. Both at taking wickets and controlling runs. We are chasing 200-220 every game,” he admitted.
The inability to control the death overs has compounded the team’s challenges, often leaving the batting unit under immense pressure. Dravid also addressed the recurring failure of the lower-middle order to accelerate when it matters most. Despite finding themselves in promising situations, RR has frequently faltered in converting starts into match-winning performances.
As the season nears its conclusion, Dravid’s remarks reflect the broader frustration within the camp—a campaign that began with hope but now finds itself searching for answers.
