Former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar has identified a major issue for Rajasthan Royals going into the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023. Despite being the top team on the points table with 4 wins in their bag, the team has struggled with death bowling. Manjrekar feels that they have a quality team but lack the ability to close out games in the death overs.
The team’s latest game against Royal Challengers Bangalore showcased their weakness in death bowling. Although they have batted and bowled exceptionally well in the season so far, they conceded 189 runs against RCB. In a recent discussion on ESPNCricinfo, Manjrekar said, “Rajasthan Royals for me because of Jos Buttler, Ravi Ashwin, and Yuzvendra Chahal. I don’t agree that they have all bases covered because I think they still have an issue with their death bowling.”
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In contrast, Tom Moody, who was also part of the discussion, feels that Rajasthan Royals are the standout team at the midway point of the tournament. The team has almost all their bases covered and has found the perfect balance with the inclusion of Jason Holder, who they targeted in the auction.
Despite the mixed opinions, the Rajasthan Royals have been the team to beat this season. They have consistently performed well and will be looking to bounce back from their recent loss against RCB when they take on Chennai Super Kings on April 27. As the IPL 2023 progresses, it will be interesting to see how the Royals tackle their death bowling woes and maintain their dominance in the tournament.