NEW DELHI: Varun Aaron, former right-arm seamer, offered some advice to the Rajasthan Royals (RR) following their recent struggles in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024.
After RR suffered their fourth consecutive loss against the Punjab Kings at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati, Aaron highlighted the need for the Royals to address their middle-order issues, especially during crucial stages of the game.
Despite already securing a spot in the playoffs, RR's momentum has taken a hit with their recent string of losses. In their IPL 2024 fixture against PBKS, RR faced a defeat despite a commendable bowling performance, with PBKS skipper Sam Curran's fighting half-century leading them to a five-wicket victory.
Currently, RR hold the second position with eight wins and five losses, totaling 16 points. Meanwhile, PBKS sit in the ninth spot with five wins, eight losses, and 10 points.
Aaron's advice suggests that RR need to rectify their middle-order batting issues to regain their winning form as they head into the crucial playoff stages of the tournament.
"I thought it is a blip and they would pick it up but now it is a worry. They should be worried, they have to figure out the middle order. In the pressure games, the middle order has to come to the fore and deliver. So they have to be worried especially of the middle order," Varun Aaron said on ESPNcricinfo TimeOut.
In addition to the challenging playing surface, the Rajasthan Royals' sub-par total can be attributed to their struggling middle and lower-middle order. Since the beginning of May, RR's batsmen occupying positions 5 to 8 have averaged just 12.46 with the bat, which is the lowest among all teams in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
The team has experimented with seven different players in these crucial positions, second only to the Chennai Super Kings, who have used eight players.
Unfortunately, the absence of a settled combination in the middle and lower-middle order, exacerbated by Shimron Hetmyer's injury and varied team tactics, has resulted in inconsistent performances for RR.
These statistics underscore the importance of stability and reliability in the middle and lower order, and RR will need to address this issue promptly to regain their form and momentum as they progress further in the tournament.
(With ANI inputs)
