Big Picture – Can RR Revive Their Season Before It’s Too Late?
Rajasthan Royals (RR) are in desperate need of a turnaround. With just four points from six matches—two wins sandwiched between two opening and two recent defeats—their IPL 2025 campaign is teetering. And the road doesn’t get any easier as they head to the Arun Jaitley Stadium to face a well-rounded Delhi Capitals (DC) side, currently second on the table.
RR’s biggest headache has been their underwhelming batting. While they boast the second-best powerplay run rate (9.72) behind Punjab Kings, their scoring rate plummets to 7.86 in the middle overs—only Chennai Super Kings have fared worse in that phase. This is where DC will look to strike, particularly through Kuldeep Yadav, who has been lethal in the middle overs, taking nine wickets at a superb economy of 5.94—second-best behind Noor Ahmad.
RR need their batting order to finally click. Sanju Samson has managed only one fifty, Riyan Parag has struggled for impact, Nitish Rana has only one notable knock, and questions continue around Shimron Hetmyer’s entry point in the batting lineup. Yashasvi Jaiswal is the only one showing some consistency with two half-centuries in his last three games, but he needs support.
For Delhi, there are fewer concerns, though Jake Fraser-McGurk’s form has dipped considerably. He has managed only 46 runs in five matches at a strike rate of 100—far from his explosive self last season. While the team has backed him so far, his place could soon be in question.
DC, who have won four of their five games, will be eager to bounce back from a rare slip-up against Mumbai Indians. A struggling RR might just offer them the perfect opportunity to reset.
There’s still some uncertainty around Faf du Plessis’ availability due to injury. Fast bowler Mohit Sharma commented, “He’s recovering well, though I’m not sure if he’ll be ready for the next game.” If Faf is fit, he is expected to open, with Karun Nair moving to No. 3. Otherwise, DC might stick to the same XI from the MI game, with Nair and Mukesh Kumar rotating as Impact Sub.
Delhi Capitals (likely XI):
- Faf du Plessis/Jake Fraser-McGurk,
- Abishek Porel,
- Karun Nair,
- KL Rahul (wk),
- Tristan Stubbs,
- Ashutosh Sharma,
- Axar Patel (capt),
- Vipraj Nigam,
- Mitchell Starc,
- Kuldeep Yadav,
- Mohit Sharma,
- Mukesh Kumar
RR have no injury concerns, but form is a concern. They might consider bringing in Akash Madhwal for Tushar Deshpande, while Kumar Kartikeya is likely to come in as the Impact Sub, replacing Rana.
Rajasthan Royals (likely XI):
- Sanju Samson (capt & wk),
- Yashasvi Jaiswal,
- Nitish Rana,
- Riyan Parag,
- Dhruv Jurel,
- Shimron Hetmyer,
- Wanindu Hasaranga,
- Jofra Archer,
- Maheesh Theekshana,
- Tushar Deshpande/Akash Madhwal,
- Sandeep Sharma,
- Kumar Kartikeya
Spotlight – Karun Nair and Riyan Parag
Karun Nair made a statement in his IPL 2025 debut, hammering 89 off 40 balls against MI and even taking Jasprit Bumrah for 26 runs in nine balls. If Fraser-McGurk continues to struggle, Nair may soon become a regular starter, especially with du Plessis returning. Interestingly, Nair has played for RR before, most recently in 2022, and had one of his best IPL seasons with them back in 2014.
On the other side, Riyan Parag has had a frustrating season so far. Despite five scores of 25 or more, he hasn’t gone past 43. While he’s looked in good touch, he’s been unable to convert starts. On a batting-friendly Delhi pitch, RR will count on him for firepower, especially against spin—a department he has traditionally struggled with, striking at just 118.61. His duel with Kuldeep Yadav and Vipraj Nigam could prove decisive.
