Rajasthan Royals Under Fire for Lackluster Strategy During IPL 2025 Defeat to Kolkata Knight Riders

The Rajasthan Royals have suffered another below-par loss in IPL 2025 as they were thoroughly thrashed by the Kolkata Knight Riders in Guwahati. This was their second loss this season and came as a wake-up call of sorts, putting serious doubts regarding their strategies. The team had been playing quite poorly so far and this defeat relegated them to the bottom half of the table. Their batting order again faltered and their strategic choices left everyone from experts to fans wondering about their strategy. One of the key points of discussion after the game was how they treated their Rs 11 crore star player Shimron Hetmyer.

Former New Zealand pacer Simon Doull severely criticized Rajasthan Royals' move to send Shimron Hetmyer to bat at number eight. He asked why a player retained for such a large amount was being sent so late down the batting order. Doull said Hetmyer had batted higher at number three and four in the Caribbean Premier League and could play in those positions. In his opinion the team erred in handling Hetmyer as a mere finisher rather than using him as a regular batter. He disagreed with the approach of the Royals and made it clear that their decision-making throughout the initial matches has not been sound. He felt the side should have sent Hetmyer earlier up in the batting lineup to have some opportunity of him establishing a strong innings before coming to expose their lower order.

Doull added that Rajasthan Royals might have also altered strategy with Hetmyer and Archer prior to switching to their power replacement. He felt that if Hetmyer had batted at number six or five and established a partnership with Dhruv Jurel the team would not have had to depend on their impact sub so much. He also indicated that the tactic of playing an impact sub too early was not fruitful. He asserted that playing Hetmyer and Archer at the appropriate time would have enabled Rajasthan Royals to bring in an additional spin bowler later in the game. His analysis spoke volumes about how Rajasthan's poor planning was influencing their performance and why they should change their batting order so that they do not suffer further blows.

Meanwhile Kolkata Knight Riders played a commanding game and won comfortably by eight wickets. Their well-disciplined bowling team laid the basis for success by limiting Rajasthan Royals to 151 for 9. The spin pair of Varun Chakravarthy and Moeen Ali for KKR had a significant role to play in this endeavor. Chakravarthy concluded with bowling figures of 2 for 17 whereas 2 for 23 was recorded by Moeen Ali. The strict bowling did not leave Rajasthan Royals a chance to have a fighting score and they failed to form solid partnerships during their innings. No good batting effort from major players contributed to their issues and they were unable to get momentum at any point of the match.

Kolkata Knight Riders' pursuit was spearheaded by Quinton de Kock who played a sensational knock of 97 not out off 61 balls. His knock was peppered with eight fours and six sixes and he guided the pursuit to perfection in spite of the difficult situation. The surface was not batsman-friendly but De Kock played with sublime timing and ferocity while keeping his team in the hunt. The run chase was never in doubt with KKR having a consistent run rate and reaching the target in 17.3 overs comfortably. Rajasthan Royals' bowling line-up could not apply any kind of pressure on the opposition and the game slipped away from them without any resistance.

The outcome of this game has only added pressure on Rajasthan Royals as they search for solutions to their dismal beginning in IPL 2025. The management has to re-strategize and utilize their major players more effectively. If they go on like this, they may struggle to revive themselves. The move to bat Hetmyer lower down the order has been the subject of much debate and unless the team makes improved tactical decisions their troubles might persist. Fans and analysts will be waiting with bated breath for radical changes in the next few games to determine whether the team is able to salvage their poor beginning to the season.