Former Indian opener Aakash Chopra believes Rajasthan Royals are in an ICU condition once their captain Sanju Samson and opener Jos Buttler are dismissed. RR has already lost the services of their talisman all-rounder, Ben Stokes, and thus they are now over-reliant on the shoulders of Sanju Samson and Jos Buttler.
The players like Manan Vohra, Riyan Parag, Rahul Tewatia, and Shivam Dube have failed to grab their opportunities and RR will want more from these batsmen. The inexperience in the Royals’ middle-order is palpable and it is leading to the downfall of the team.
RR also has David Miller in their team and the left-hander had scored a fine knock of 62 runs against Delhi Capitals and had played a key role in the team’s maiden win of the season.
Meanwhile, the Royals were going strong in the run-chase of 189 runs against CSK as they were 87-2 but lost five wickets for only eight runs to crumble like a pack of cards. Jos Buttler top-scored with 49 runs but apart from him, no batsman was able to get going.
Aakash Chopra said on his YouTube Channel, “The Rajasthan Royals’ heart and heartbeat are Buttler and Samson and the team is in an ICU once they get out. If Buttler and Samson play, this team has the strength, if one of them gets out then end of the story and if both get out, totally finished. That is the sad reality of this team”.
“Buttler played well but Manan Vohra got out. After that Sanju Samson also got out. Sanju Samson is either flying or on the floor. He is a delight to watch when he is firing but after a century he falls down dramatically. It becomes a pattern of continuous low scores. That’s not ideal. This team can’t afford that,” added Chopra.
Chopra believes RR was in the run-chase when Jos Buttler was going strong but it imploded when the England batsman was dismissed by Ravindra Jadeja, who produced a peach of a delivery.
“When Sam Curran dismissed both Manan Vohra and Sanju, the match was moving slightly towards Chennai. They were alive till the time Buttler was playing. Shivam Dube also played a couple of good shots,” said Chopra.
“But Jos Buttler hit a six and then they got a dry ball. It turned after pitching and hit the stumps. Then Shivam Dube got out and after that, you brought Moeen Ali quickly as David Miller had come and then wickets kept falling one after the other. The run chase just imploded,” concluded Chopra.
RR will play their next match against Royal Challengers Bangalore at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai on April 22.
