The effects of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 mega auction have been hurting the Rajasthan Royals (RR) massively. They lost the likes of Jos Buttler, Yuzvendra Chahal, and Trent Boult, among many other key players, and are now reeling in the bottom half of the IPL 2025 points table. Well, the Sanju Samson-led side has become the 2nd team after CSK to exit the IPL 2025 Playoff race after a massive 100-run loss to Mumbai Indians.
RR’s run at IPL 2025 so far
Rajasthan were dealt a huge blow when they lost Sanju Samson, the captain, for the first three games. Riyan Parag was made the captain, and he led RR to their first win, against CSK, in the third game. The winning run continued when Samson came back as captain in a high-scoring game against the Punjab Kings. But that was it. The next two games saw them lose by comprehensive margins of 58 runs and 9 wickets against GT & RCB, respectively.
Now, against the Delhi Capitals, RR succumbed to their third consecutive defeat in an absolutely thrilling Super Over clash. That nail-biting loss to DC put RR’s qualification chances in the mud. Mumbai Indians dealt the final blow, thrashing them by 100 runs in Jaipur to knock them out officially.
RR qualification scenarios
There is no chance for RR to qualify for the playoffs. RR can get to a maximum of 12 points if they win all three remaining matches. However, with five teams already on 12 points or more with a better net run rate, RR have no chance to play catch-up. All they can do is now to play for pride.
Here’s how their path to the playoffs shapes up:
| Wins in Last 3 Matches | Total Wins | Points | Playoffs Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 6 | 12 | Eliminated |
| 2 | 5 | 10 | Eliminated |
| 1 or fewer | ≤4 | ≤8 | Eliminated |
Sanju Samson, Parag have a difficult path ahead
Since the IPL’s expansion to 10 teams, 16 points have almost always ensured playoff qualification. If RR can manage four wins from their remaining games, they’ll finish with 14 points — not enough to guarantee qualification. The margin for error is razor-thin.
RR’s playoff hopes dimmed after their loss to RCB. However, Vaibhav Suryvanshi’s insane hundred has left everyone scratching their heads. With only four matches left, they can at best reach 14 points, a total that may not be enough to guarantee a spot in the playoffs. The upcoming fixtures don’t get any easier, with crucial matches against GT and Mumbai Indians, both of whom are in great form.
RR will need to pull off a miracle to win both these games and then hope to triumph in their remaining matches as well. Even then, their fate would depend on other teams’ results and a significant improvement in their net run rate. Given their current form, it’s tough to see RR making it to the playoffs. Also, RCB have already touched the 14-point mark. MI, DC and GT are also just one win away from reaching there. Hence, it’s safe to say that RR are already out.
Remaining IPL 2025 matches for Rajasthan Royals
| Date | Match | Venue | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 4 | KKR vs RR | Kolkata | TBD |
| May 12 | CSK vs RR | Chennai | TBD |
| May 16 | RR vs PBKS | Jaipur | TBD |
IPL 2025 Points Table
| Pos | Team | Matches | Wins | Losses | NR | NRR | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | 10 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0.521 | 14 |
| 2 | Punjab Kings | 10 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 0.270 | 13 |
| 3 | Mumbai Indians | 10 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 0.889 | 12 |
| 4 | Gujarat Titans | 9 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 0.748 | 12 |
| 5 | Delhi Capitals | 10 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 0.362 | 12 |
| 6 | Lucknow Super Giants | 10 | 5 | 5 | 0 | -0.325 | 10 |
| 7 | Kolkata Knight Riders | 10 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 0.271 | 9 |
| 8 | Rajasthan Royals | 10 | 3 | 7 | 0 | -0.349 | 6 |
| 9 | Sunrisers Hyderabad | 9 | 3 | 6 | 0 | -1.103 | 6 |
| 10 | Chennai Super Kings (E) | 10 | 2 | 8 | 0 | -1.211 | 4 |
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