Riyan Parag will walk out to lead Rajasthan Royals (RR) once again, but the controversy around him has not entirely been about cricket. The Royals skipper was recently fined 25 percent of his match fee after being caught on camera vaping inside the dressing room. The BCCI treated it as a Level 1 offence, putting Parag under the spotlight heading into this clash against Delhi Capitals (DC).
Now, the focus shifts back to cricket, and RR are in a decent space. They are coming off a superb win against Punjab Kings, becoming the first team to beat Shreyas Iyer’s side this season. With no injury concerns and conditions in Jaipur expected to be hot and slightly slow, team balance will once again be key. One big call, though, remains. Do they bring back Ravi Bishnoi or stick with the youngster who replaced him?
Will RR bring back Ravi Bishnoi?
This is where things get interesting. Ravi Bishnoi started the season well, picking up nine wickets in his first four games. But his form dipped after that, with just two wickets in the next four matches and an economy of over 10. That dip opened the door for 19-year-old Yash Raj Punja, and he grabbed his chance.
While both are leg-spinners, Punja’s speciality is his height. The youngster is over 6 foot 5 inches tall, generating enough bounce on deck to trouble the batters. On his IPL debut against Punjab, he impressed. He picked up two crucial wickets of in-form players, including Prabhsimran Singh and Cooper Connolly. The way he tossed one up wider to Prabhsimran, forcing a mis-hit, stood out. That was not luck. That was skill and clarity.
Dropping him after one game would feel harsh, especially when he delivered in a pressure situation on a batting track. Bishnoi does have a decent record against DC with 11 wickets in 10 matches, but right now, momentum seems to be with Punja. Expect RR to stick with the youngster for at least one more game.
Sooryavanshi, Jaiswal show again?
Rajasthan’s biggest strength this season has been their opening pair. Yashasvi Jaiswal and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi have been relentless. The two have added 451 runs so far at an exceptional run rate of 12.13. They basically kill the game within the powerplay. Just ask CSK and RCB.
Sooryavanshi, in particular, has been delightful to watch. The 15-year-old boy has two hundreds already, a strike rate of 248, and 99 sixes in just 27 T20 innings. He has passed the tests of Jasprit Bumrah, Josh Hazlewood and other premium quicks. Now, he may face Mitchell Starc in tonight’s encounter. Alongside him, Jaiswal continues to be consistent and is already among the highest run-scorers before the age of 25 in IPL history.
RR batters in Jaipur (T20s)
| Player | Innings | Runs | Average | SR | Best | 50s/100s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yashasvi Jaiswal | 20 | 740 | 41.11 | 154.81 | 104* | 6/1 |
| Riyan Parag | 15 | 426 | 35.50 | 151.60 | 84* | 2 |
| Vaibhav Sooryavanshi | 5 | 278 | 55.60 | 248.21 | 103 | 2 |
At No. 3, Dhruv Jurel continues to quietly do his job, while Parag at No. 4 will be keen to let his bat do the talking after the off-field chatter. Donovan Ferreira and Shubham Dubey (Impact sub) will come with massive confidence after the duo literally won RR their game against Punjab.
Shimron Hetmyer was finally dropped in the last game, with Kumar Sangakkara’s team bringing in Dasun Shanaka. Shanaka didn’t get to bat, so he will probably continue. Meanwhile, Ravindra Jadeja further stretches the batting, with him already scoring two 40+ knocks this year.
Jofra Archer vs DC could set the tone
Rajasthan’s USP or a differential factor, has been their usage of two overseas quicks. Only DC and PBKS are the other team to play two overseas fast bowlers. If RR are to control the game early, Jofra Archer will be key. He has been lethal in the powerplay this season, picking up wickets almost at will.
Jofra Archer vs DC
| Innings | Wickets | Average | Economy | SR | Best |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 9 | 15.22 | 7.14 | 12.7 | 3/19 |
He has taken a wicket in the first over multiple times this season, including three off the very first ball. Against a DC side that has struggled at the top, this is a battle RR will look to win early. Alongside him, Nandre Burger and Brijesh Sharma will handle the pace duties, while Jadeja and Punja take care of spin on a surface that could grip a bit as the game progresses. Brijesh has shown terrific T20 bowling skills. He may not superb numbers to show but the youngster has variety in him.
Predicted RR Playing XI vs DC
| S. No. | Player | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yashasvi Jaiswal | Opener |
| 2 | Vaibhav Sooryavanshi | Opener |
| 3 | Dhruv Jurel (wk) | Top-order batter |
| 4 | Riyan Parag (c) | Middle-order batter |
| 5 | Donovan Ferreira ✈️ | Middle-order batter |
| 6 | Shubham Dubey | Batter |
| 7 | Dasun Shanaka ✈️ | All-rounder |
| 8 | Ravindra Jadeja | All-rounder |
| 9 | Jofra Archer ✈️ | Fast bowler |
| 10 | Nandre Burger ✈️ | Fast bowler |
| 11 | Brijesh Sharma | Fast bowler |
| Impact Sub | Yash Raj Punja | Spinner |
Rajasthan Royals Squad
Rajasthan Royals
Batters
All-rounders
Bowlers
Cricket
Predicted RR Playing XI vs DC: Will Riyan Parag bring in Ravi Bishnoi?
