New Delhi, March 27 Former India wicketkeeper-batter Robin Uthappa feels that Rajasthan Royals (RR) need to reflect on their auction strategy and analyse their shortcomings after suffering back-to-back defeats in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season.
Rajasthan lost to Sunrisers Hyderabad in their opening fixture before facing their second straight defeat against defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on Wednesday.
Despite adding 14 players of their choice in last year's mega auction in Jeddah, the Jaipur-based franchise have not found the right balance in the playing 11 so far.
Compared to their batting line-up that features the likes of Indian stars Sanju Samson, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel and Riyan Parag, Rajasthan fall short in the bowling department with struggling Jofra Archer and Sandeep Sharma.
Archer conceded the most expensive spell in IPL history when he was hammered for 76 runs in his four overs against Sunrisers Hyderabad.
"They’ll need to reflect on their auction strategy and analyse what they might have missed. But hindsight is a luxury they don’t have right now. Their bowling attack seems a bit thin, relying heavily on Sandeep Sharma and Jofra Archer. However, it’s important to consider that Jofra Archer is returning to regular cricket after a hiatus of over two and a half years. He has endured multiple injuries and other challenges that have taken a toll on his body. That inevitably affects a player’s mental makeup and self-confidence. There’s a lot to unpack here," the former Indian cricketer said on JioHotstar.
Uthappa further added that Jaiswal missed the opportunity to play a big knock after getting out on 29 as Rajasthan only posted 151/9 after being asked to bat first in Guwahati.
"This was an opportunity for him to take on the responsibility and guide his team through. He was a set batter on a pitch that wasn’t the easiest for batting. When I say that, I mean in comparison to the high-scoring surfaces we see today, especially with the impact player rule allowing teams to field up to eight specialist batters, plus an all-rounder, effectively giving them nine batting options. With that depth, batters have the freedom to attack, but reading the conditions and match situation is crucial. Unfortunately, Yashasvi didn’t do that today," he added.
Chasing 152, Quinton de Kock's unbeaten 97 laced with eight fours and six sixes was enough to take the side over the line and secure a comfortable eight-wicket win.
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