Despite reaching the playoffs, Rajasthan Royals have been plagued by worrying similarities in their recent defeats. In their fourth consecutive loss, they faced two-paced pitches in Chennai and Guwahati that favored bowlers, limiting them to scores below 150 while batting first. The main spinners in both matches, Ravindra Jadeja and Rahul Chahar, maintained impressive averages under seven, leaving Riyan Parag as the only consistent scorer for the Royals.
Before these defeats, the Royals’ impressive form had masked their vulnerability against spin bowling. However, against the Punjab Kings, they faltered despite the absence of spinners in the first Powerplay. Sam Curran and Nathan Ellis’ variations, including length balls and slower bouncers, proved too challenging for the Royals’ batters. Harshal Patel’s introduction in the Powerplay further stifled their progress, conceding just four runs in the final over.
The Royals’ batting lineup boasts stroke players, but their flamboyance was curtailed when put under pressure. Jos Buttler’s absence provided an opportunity for Tom Kohler-Cadmore, but he struggled to adapt to the pitch’s complexities. Dhruv Jurel’s dismissal off a half-tracker from Curran was unfortunate, while Rovman Powell was outfoxed by a wrong’un from Chahar.
The Royals’ batting woes were compounded by the early departures of Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sanju Samson. R Ashwin’s four-run over off Chahar in the 12th over offered a brief respite, but the Royals’ innings ultimately ended with a disappointing total, despite a slightly improved run rate in the slog overs.
The Royals retaliated with strong bowling performances from Ashwin and Yuzvendra Chahal, but Avesh Khan’s double strike in the fourth over proved decisive. Rilee Rossouw’s dismissal off a wide delivery and Shashank Singh’s plumb LBW gave Punjab Kings the early advantage. Jonny Bairstow’s wicket in the eighth over could have triggered a collapse, but Jitesh Sharma and Sam Curran combined for a 63-run partnership to revive the chase.
Punjab Kings’ key to success was maintaining the tempo in the middle overs and attacking Ashwin and Chahal in their final overs. The 23 runs added in the 15th and 16th overs provided momentum for the chase, leaving the Royals with too little to defend in the backend.
Curran’s half-century stood out as a testament to the difficulty of the Guwahati pitch. His game awareness and ability to build partnerships played a crucial role in Punjab Kings’ victory. The Royals will need to address their spin bowling concerns and find ways to score more runs if they want to maintain their playoff hopes.
