Former Indian cricketer Ambati Rayudu shared his thoughts on the Rajasthan Royals (RR) loss against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the IPL 2025 clash. The cricketer-turned-commentator stated that the team management missed the trick by sending Dhruv Jurel ahead of Shimron Hetmyer during the match.
Rajasthan Royals suffered an 11-run loss to Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Thursday, April 24. This was RCB's first home victory of the IPL 2025 season. After being asked to bat first, RCB posted a total of 205/5. The visitors got off to a flying start but finished at 194/9.
Ambati Rayudu said that the Royals were in control of the chase but missed a key opportunity by not sending Shimron Hetmyer earlier. Rayudu pointed out that Hetmyer could have tackled the leg and left-arm spinners. He felt that Hetmyer could have helped RR finish the game with more time at the crease.
"I think Hetmeyer not coming up, for one, because there was a leg spinner bowling, there was a left-arm spinner bowling. And you have sent Dhruv Jurel, no doubt he has batted well. But if you had Hetmeyer and his experience in the middle, he would have been set to really finish the game towards the end. He would have had that little time in the middle as well," Ambati Rayudu said on ESPNCricinfo.
Need to Know Where You Are Trying to Hit - Ambati Rayudu
Ambati Rayudu was not impressed with Shubham Dubey's approach at the end. Rayudu added that Dubey needed to make smarter decisions and understand where to target the ball during crucial moments.
"So I thought they missed a trick there, but also towards the end, I felt Shubham Dubey, I know he's young, but after an over of 22 runs, you have taken a strike against Yash Dayal in the last over. See, that's where you need to be smart, and you also need to know where you are trying to hit in the last over," Rayudu said.
Dhruv Jurel (47 off 34) brought Rajasthan Royals back into the game, as 22 runs were scored off the 18th over bowled by Bhuvneshwar Kumar. With 18 runs required from the last 12 balls, Josh Hazlewood turned the game around with a brilliant over, dismissing Jurel and Jofra Archer (0) off consecutive deliveries.
Hazlewood gave away just one run in the over. Shubham Dubey refused a single on the last ball of the penultimate over. However, he was dismissed on the first ball of the 20th over.
Virat Kohli and Devdutt Padikkal Shine Again with the Bat for RCB
Sent in to bat, Virat Kohli and Phil Salt (26 off 23) added 61 runs in 6.4 overs. After Salt was dismissed by Wanindu Hasaranga, Kohli teamed up with Devdutt Padikkal (50 off 27) to build a crucial 95-run partnership for the second wicket.
The former RCB skipper made 70 runs off 42 balls, including eight fours and two sixes, before he was dismissed by Jofra Archer for the first time in T20s. Padikkal, who hit four fours and three sixes, fell shortly after reaching his fifty.
Cameos from Tim David (23 off 15) and Jitesh Sharma (20* off 10) helped RCB finish with 205/5. For RR, Sandeep Sharma picked up two wickets, while Archer and Hasaranga claimed one each.
Also read: Stephen Fleming asks MS Dhoni and Co to learn from RCB
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