Robin Uthappa believes Rajasthan Royals must reassess their auction strategy after losing their first two matches, pointing out their thin bowling attack and Jofra Archer’s struggles after a long injury break.
Rajasthan Royals are under pressure after consecutive defeats in IPL 2025, raising concerns over their team balance. Despite picking 14 players in the last mega-auction, they are struggling to find the right combination. Their batting unit, led by Sanju Samson and Yashasvi Jaiswal, looks solid, but the bowling attack lacks depth. Jofra Archer, returning after a long injury layoff, has struggled, conceding 76 runs in four overs against Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Former cricketer Robin Uthappa believes Rajasthan must reassess their auction strategy, as they heavily rely on Sandeep Sharma and Archer, making their attack vulnerable against strong batting line-ups.
“They’ll need to reflect on their auction strategy and analyse what they might have missed. But hindsight is a luxury they don’t have right now. Their bowling attack seems a bit thin, relying heavily on Sandeep Sharma and Jofra Archer. However, it’s important to consider that Jofra Archer is returning to regular cricket after a hiatus of over two and a half years. He has endured multiple injuries and other challenges that have taken a toll on his body. That inevitably affects a player’s mental makeup and self-confidence. There’s a lot to unpack here,” Uthappa said on JioHotstar.
Notably, Yashasvi Jaiswal failed to capitalize on his start, departing for 29 as Rajasthan struggled to 151/9 after opting to bat in Guwahati. Uthappa then pointed out that Jaiswal, set on a tough pitch, should have guided the innings instead of getting out early.
“This was an opportunity for him to take on the responsibility and guide his team through. He was a set batter on a pitch that wasn’t the easiest for batting. When I say that, I mean in comparison to the high-scoring surfaces we see today, especially with the impact player rule allowing teams to field up to eight specialist batters, plus an all-rounder, effectively giving them nine batting options. With that depth, batters have the freedom to attack, but reading the conditions and match situation is crucial. Unfortunately, Yashasvi didn’t do that today,” he said.
In the match, Lucknow chased down 152 with ease, securing an eight-wicket win. Quinton de Kock’s unbeaten 97, featuring eight fours and six sixes, powered the team to a solid win.
