The Rajasthan Royals’ playoff hopes in IPL 2025 have taken a major hit after their fifth straight defeat, this time at the hands of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), who edged them out by 11 runs at the Chinnaswamy Stadium on Thursday, April 24.
Chasing a stiff 206-run target, RR were well on track at 188/5 with Dhruv Jurel anchoring the innings with an impressive 47 off 32 balls. However, a dramatic penultimate over by Josh Hazlewood flipped the momentum in RCB’s favor, handing the home side their first win at the venue this season.
“We’ve got ourselves to blame” – Parag admits missed chances
Acting skipper Riyan Parag, leading the side in the absence of regular captain Sanju Samson, voiced his disappointment after another close finish slipped through their fingers.
“We did really well with the ball. I thought it was a 210-215 wicket, but we held them back well. Halfway through our innings, we were in the driver’s seat. We’ve got ourselves to blame. Didn’t show enough intent against spinners,” Parag said in the post-match presentation.
Reflecting on the team’s repeated failures in crunch moments — including a Super Over loss to Delhi Capitals and a nail-biting two-run defeat to Lucknow Super Giants — Parag stressed that it wasn’t a question of support but execution.
“Support staff gives us the freedom. But the onus is on us”
“It does play a part mentally. But the support staff has given us a lot of freedom. The onus is on us to play freely. In a tournament like this, even a slight mistake can cost you. We try to be very honest in our conversations. We spoke about this situation, but we just couldn’t execute it tonight,” Parag explained.
With only two wins from nine matches, the Royals’ hopes of reaching the playoffs are now hanging by a thread. While mathematically still alive, they’ll now have to rely on a combination of favorable results and an improbable winning streak to stand a chance.
“We’ve got to play for pride now”
With emotions running high, Parag made a heartfelt appeal to fans and teammates to play the remaining matches with pride and purpose.
“There are a lot of fans who support us. A lot of people work hard for us to be here. We’ve got to do it for them. We have to be grateful and honored to play this game and represent this franchise. We’ve got to show that when we next step on the field,” he said.
RCB bounce back strong; bowlers turn the game
For RCB, the win was equally crucial. Rajat Patidar, leading the team in this fixture, praised his bowlers — especially Hazlewood and Krunal Pandya — for turning the tide after RR’s explosive start.
RR had stormed to 72/2 in the powerplay, thanks to a 19-ball 49 by Yashasvi Jaiswal and quickfire contributions from Parag (22) and Nitish Reddy (28). But Krunal Pandya’s disciplined spell (2/31) halted their momentum, removing both Parag and Nitish at critical junctures.
“Today the wicket was different, and full credit to the bowlers after the 10th over. They showed great courage,” Patidar noted.
Hazlewood’s death overs, which saw him pick crucial wickets and bowl pinpoint yorkers, proved decisive as RR were restricted to 194/9 in their 20 overs.
Looking Ahead
For Rajasthan Royals, the road to redemption will begin with their next fixture. While the playoffs may now be a long shot, every match offers a chance to regroup, rebuild, and reclaim their rhythm.
For RCB, the win reignites their campaign and gives them a much-needed morale boost going into the final stretch of the league stage.
