Riyan Parag Admits Tactical Error- Rajasthan Royals (RR) captain Riyan Parag didn’t mince his words after another painful defeat in the 2025 IPL season. Facing Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in their backyard, RR fell short by 11 runs in a chase that, at one point, looked firmly in their control. With 18 runs needed off the last 12 balls and five wickets in hand, the finish line seemed within reach. But high-quality death bowling from Josh Hazlewood and Yash Dayal turned the tide decisively in RCB’s favour.
Hazlewood delivered a game-changing 19th over, conceding just one run and removing two key batters—Dhruv Jurel and Jofra Archer—off consecutive balls. Dayal followed it up with a nerveless final over, defending 16 runs to seal RCB’s first home win of the season.
For Rajasthan, it was déjà vu. This was their third consecutive failed chase in crunch time. Against both Delhi Capitals (DC) and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), they had needed just nine runs in the final over—and failed to cross the line on both occasions.
Spin—The Silent Assassin
RCB’s pacers, barring Hazlewood, struggled to contain the flow of runs. But it was their spinners who applied the brakes right when RR were gaining momentum. The duo of Krunal Pandya and Suyash Sharma conceded just 62 runs in eight overs between them and took the crucial wickets of Parag and Nitish Rana. Krunal struck gold with his very first ball, removing the RR captain and shifting the momentum in RCB’s favour.
Reflecting on the match, Parag said- I think we did really well with the ball. It was a 210–220 kind of wicket, but we held them back nicely. Halfway through our batting, we were in control, needing just 8.5 per over for the last 10–11 overs. We’ve only got ourselves to blame. We didn’t show enough intent against their spinners. That’s where the game slipped.”
Momentum Lost in the Middle Overs
RR had powered to 87 runs in the first seven overs of the chase, feasting on RCB’s seamers. But the momentum evaporated once spin came into play. From overs 8 to 14, RR managed just two boundaries—a stretch that saw their required run rate climb from 8.72 to 11.5.
On a pitch where batting against pace was relatively easier, the Royals failed to rotate strike or find gaps during the middle overs. Even RCB’s most economical bowler turned out to be a spinner—Wanindu Hasaranga—who used his variations smartly to return figures of 1 for 30.
Mental Game and Execution the Key Issues
Asked whether the repeated failures were more mental than tactical, Parag admitted that The support staff has given us a lot of freedom. It’s on us, the players, to take that and perform with intent. One small mistake in this tournament and you pay for it. That’s exactly what happened today.”
The loss pushed Rajasthan deeper into a slump. With just two wins from nine games, they remain in eighth place on the points table. To stand a chance of making the playoffs, they now need to win all of their remaining five matches—and even that may not be enough.
Where RR Go From Here
The Royals’ biggest concern isn’t talent—it’s their inability to close out games from winning positions. The same core—Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel, Riyan Parag—was pivotal in their success last season. But this year, the magic seems to have fizzled out.
Their fielding has also been patchy, with key catches dropped at vital moments and misfields adding pressure. In close T20 contests, such lapses can be decisive.
With their season hanging by a thread, RR need to bounce back with urgency, clarity, and composure. Every game is now a virtual knockout.
Meanwhile, RCB Rise
For RCB, this win could be season-defining. With six victories in nine games, they now sit third on the points table. More importantly, they’ve finally broken their home jinx, having lost their previous four games at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.
Josh Hazlewood’s return to full fitness has bolstered their bowling attack, while the batting unit, led by Virat Kohli and supported by impactful cameos, is beginning to click.
Their head coach Andy Flower hailed the composure shown by the bowlers and stand-in skipper Rajat Patidar:
“We were under pressure when they needed 18 from 12. The calmness from Hazlewood and Dayal was remarkable. Patidar also led with great maturity.”
