Royals’ inconsistent batters need to raise their hands against RCB

Jaipur: Rajasthan Royals are at a critical juncture in their campaign this season. With two wins in five matches and sitting seventh on the table, the Royals are eager to harness their home advantage and climb up. Royals now face Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on Sunday here at Sawai Mansingh Stadium.
Their captain Sanju Samson has been the linchpin, having so far scored 178 runs at a strike rate of 150.85. His leadership and batting carry extra weight in a youthful squad which is missing Jos Buttler's explosive presence. Buttler's departure after seven years leaves a void at the top, where his aggressive starts complemented Samson's versatility.
The current top order — Yashasvi Jaiswal, Samson, Riyan Parag and Nitish Rana — needs cohesion. Jaiswal's struggle to find form and Rana's sporadic heroics highlight the urgency for collective form. Dhruv Jurel's middle-order stability is equally vital to avoid mid-table stagnation.
The host's triumph over Punjab Kings (PBKS) showed promise. Jaiswal, Samson, and Parag powered Royals to 205, while Jofra Archer's 3-25, alongside disciplined spells from Sandeep Sharma and Maheesh Theekshana, throttled PBKS to 155/9. Yet, defeats against Sunrisers Hyderabad, Kolkata Knight Riders and Gujarat Titans revealed batting vulnerabilities and bowling lapses.
RCB, fourth with three wins, go in with momentum under Rajat Patidar. Their batting, driven by Virat Kohli and Phil Salt, has shone, dismantling KKR (by 7 wickets), CSK (by 50 runs) and MI (by 12 runs). Their bowling, led by Josh Hazlewood, has been able to click as a unit.
For Royals, bowlers must rally behind Jofra Archer to exploit RCB's weaknesses. The good news for Royals is that their leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga is available for selection after missing out on the previous match due to personal reasons.
Likely playing XI: RR: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sanju Samson (C/WK), Nitish Rana, Riyan Parag, Shimron Hetmyer, Dhruv Jurel, Jofra Archer, Maheesh Theekshana, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Sandeep Sharma, Tushar Deshpande.
RCB: Phil Salt, Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar (C), Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma (WK), Krunal Pandya, Tim David, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood, Yash Dayal.