In a season full of high hopes and important challenges, Rajasthan Royals (RR) head coach Rahul Dravid has openly expressed his disappointment after the team’s recent defeat to Punjab Kings. The damage marks the tenth part of the RR in the IPL 2025 season, which places them ninth on the points table. Dravid highlighted issues in all departments, emphasizing that the team’s performance has not met expectations. Despite a promising start for the season, the young talent, including a standout century by Vaibhav Suryavanshi, has struggled to maintain stability, especially in death bowling and middle-order batting.
After the loss of RR’s 8-vicity to Punjab Kings, Dravid acknowledged the team’s shortcomings, saying, “There is no point in blaming the batsman. I think even with the ball, I did not think it was 220 wickets, it was about 195, 200 wickets, and we gave 20 runs.”
He said, “If we look at the numbers, we are probably not very good with the ball. Both to take wickets and control the run. We are chasing 200-220 in every game,” he said.
He said that accepting additional runs has been a recurring issue, making the batting flesh challenging to pursue high yogas. Dravid also said that the team often finds itself in good positions, but especially in a low-middle order, where there is a lack of large shots, failed to capitalize.
“This is a difficult. We’ve come close, but we have not been able to finish the work. It is one of the seasons where you always feel with the ball that we probably give 15-20 runs extra and then you have really reached some really good positions to win the game, but we are not able to finish this work and we are not just able to fulfill the big order,”
The bowling of RR’s death has been a significant concern throughout the season. In matches against Gujarat Titans and Delhi Capital, the team scored more than 70 runs in the last five overs, highlighting the need for better execution in the closing stages of the game. Dravid stressed that while the plans have been sounded, the execution has decreased, causing adverse results.
The team’s performance has criticized the great cricket including Sunil Gavaskar, who expressed his illusion on the lack of RR’s strategic game, especially under the guidance of Dravid. Gavaskar commented, “With a person like Rahul Dravid as a coach, it was quite shocking, it was uncontrolled cricket.” He questioned the team’s decision making and the approach during critical moments, suggesting a deep defect in his strategy.
Despite the team’s struggles, young prodigy Vaibhav Suryavanshi has been a bright place. The 14 -year -old made headlines with 35 balls against Titans in Gujarat, showcasing his immense potential. However, he also faced failures against Mumbai Indians, including two balls of ducks, outlining the high and ups of professional cricket. Dravid has urged for realistic expectations about the performance of Suryavanshi, emphasizing the importance of supporting young talents through success and challenges.
“, I mean, it is now five games, where the margin actually has one or two hits you need in the stage that we have not been able to do now,” said Dravid after the game. “So it’s not that we are losing a lot of wickets, we are still five below, but we have not been able to hit those shots yet.”
As RR prepares for his final match of the season against Chennai Super Kings, the focus turns to rescue pride and avoid the place below on the table. The leadership and experience of Dravid will be important in guiding the team through this challenging period. The results of the season highlight the need for introspection and strategic adjustment to create a more flexible and consistent team in future campaigns.
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