Sunil Gavaskar Slams Rajasthan Royals' Showing In Latest IPL Defeat

Rajasthan Royals incurred their fifth loss on the trot in IPL 2025 following defeat at the hands of Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Showing glimpses of promise with robust innings by Yashasvi Jaiswal and Dhruv Jurel, the side was unable to reach the finishing line. At 18 off 12 deliveries, Rajasthan imploded and was able to produce only a single run from the penultimate over bowled by Josh Hazlewood. This close loss was added to their long list of close defeats, with the same outcome also being experienced in their games against Delhi Capitals and Lucknow Super Giants.

Great Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar was not mincing words when he criticized the performance of the team. In his stern statements, he even named Rajasthan Royals' head coach Rahul Dravid, indicating quite clearly that he was surprised at the team's strategy. Gavaskar, who had attended the game, was left wondering at the uncharacteristic nature of the cricket being played, particularly with Dravid's reputation for his accuracy and planning.

While discussing his analysis on Star Sports, Gavaskar pointed out the manner in which seeing the team play live uncovered the absence of clear thought and bad execution. He pointed out that while inexperienced players cannot be guaranteed to do everything perfectly, there clearly was a lack of thought process behind the decisions of the team. While Dravid was well known for being calculating in nature when he was playing, Gavaskar believed that the discipline would by now have made its way to the Rajasthan batters.

The game itself was characterized by Josh Hazlewood's brilliant bowling. Hazlewood assisted his team in getting the win through impressive figures of 4/33. His precision and delivery mixing skills helped play a huge role in shattering Rajasthan's chase. Following the match, Hazlewood commented on his game plan of adhering to his strengths. He discussed how the challenging pitch in Bengaluru did not allow for easy scoring, and his variation in length, yorkers, and slower balls proved crucial in keeping Rajasthan's batters under control.

Hazlewood also complimented the depth and balance of Royal Challengers Bengaluru's bowling attack. He believed that the side possessed a strong and well-rounded attack with many options and that this confidence on days like today when their bowling was in top form. Looking back on conditions of the match, Hazlewood noted the difficult bounce of the pitch throughout the game. He admitted that placing a total on this surface was tough, and RCB bowlers had played a great role in dominating the match and aiding their side to win.

The Royals' latest loss has come into question for the team's season in IPL 2025, with fans, analysts, and even the player base questioning both the team and the decision-making. With continued losses, now it is hard to see where the team, as well as the coaching team, will answer these questions later in the game.