NEW DELHI: Former India cricketer and commentator Aakash Chopra has raised concerns over Rajasthan Royals' recent string of losses in the Indian Premier League 2024, noting that their playoff qualification came on the back of favorable results from other matches.
Chopra's remarks follow Rajasthan Royals' fourth consecutive defeat, a five-wicket loss against Punjab Kings in Guwahati on Wednesday, despite already securing a spot in the top four.
Expressing his disappointment on his YouTube channel, Chopra questioned Rajasthan Royals' lackluster performance in recent matches, particularly in the month of May.
"What has happened, RR guys, will you win or will you qualify only when others win? You might feel bad that why am I saying that as you won eight matches. It seems like you won those eight matches last month. Have you won a match this month? I think they haven't won a match this month," Chopra remarked.
Chopra criticized Rajasthan Royals' inability to capitalize on winning the toss and batting first in recent matches, highlighting their lack of intent and failure to post competitive totals.
"They have lost four consecutive matches and their condition is looking slightly miserable. They win the toss and bat first but don't score runs after that. They didn't show any intent, whether it was in Chennai or Guwahati. Why are you getting such a pitch made in Guwahati?" Chopra questioned.
Addressing Rajasthan Royals' decision to play home matches in Guwahati, Chopra suggested that consistency in venue selection would have been preferable, emphasizing the importance of familiarity with home conditions.
Chopra further analyzed Rajasthan Royals' batting woes, pointing out Yashasvi Jaiswal's dismissal at the start of the innings and Sanju Samson's failure to capitalize on expectations. He highlighted Riyan Parag's resilient innings but criticized the team's inability to post a competitive total.
With Rajasthan Royals facing challenges in their batting lineup and struggling to secure victories, Chopra emphasized the need for improvement as the team heads into the IPL playoffs.
1/10:Rajasthan lose to Punjab for fourth consecutive defeat
AFP
2/10:Sam Curran
<p>Skipper Sam Curran starred with bat and ball as Punjab Kings beat Rajasthan Royals by five wickets for a consolation win in the Indian Premier League on Wednesday. </p>AFP
3/10:Leading from the front
<p>Chasing 145 on a sluggish pitch, Punjab depended on Curran's unbeaten 63 to achieve their target with seven balls to spare in Guwahati. </p>AFP
4/10:63-run stand
<p>Curran put on a 63-run stand with Jitesh Sharma (22), and despite losing his partner in the 16th over lifted his team from the bottom of the 10-team table. </p>AFP
5/10:4th successive defeat
<p>Impact substitute Ashutosh Sharma smashed 17 and the winning run to hand Rajasthan their fourth successive defeat in this edition of the T20 tournament. </p>AFP
6/10:Riyan Parag
<p>Punjab, who had already bowed out of the playoff race, kept the opposition down to 144-9 despite a 34-ball 48 by Riyan Parag. </p>AFP
7/10:Yashasvi Jaiswal
<p>Curran bowled Yashasvi Jaiswal, for four, in the first over and then Samson departed for 18 off Nathan Ellis after a slow start. </p>AFP
8/10:50-run stand
<p>Parag found Ravichandran Ashwin, who hit 28 off 19 balls, for company and the two attempted to push the scoring in their partnership of 50. </p>PTI
9/10:Rahul Chahar
<p>The rest of the batting faltered against a disciplined attack as Curran, fellow quick Harshal Patel and spinner Rahul Chahar took two wickets each. </p>AFP
