IPL 2019 | Player Ratings - Rajasthan Royals choke against Kings XI Punjab for second time in 12-run defeat
IPL
After conceding a season high 182 at Mohali, Rajasthan Royals messed up a great chance to make their way up the table as they fell short by 12 runs against Kings XI Punjab. While Jaydev Unadkat was an antagonist in the first innings, Ajinkya Rahane unsuccessfully tried to usurp the crown from him.
Rahul Tripathi (7/10) - After being elevated in the batting order, it was pivotal for Rahul Tripathi to belt a big score in order to cement his spot in the line-up. He looked extremely comfortable opening the innings and got the ball rolling from the outset at Mohali. Tripathi got to his fifty but failed to get his side close to the total after he failed to clear the long-off boundary off Ashwin’s bowling. Â
Jos Buttler (6.5/10) - Jos Buttler has been Rajasthan Royals’ man in form this season, scoring runs at a blistering strike rate at the top. His early kill is no less than a boon to the opposition as he is always batting in top gear in T20s. At times, your strength may become your weakness, which is exactly what happened to Buttler. In an attempt to make the most of the powerplay overs, Buttler top-edged one high into the sky only to be cupped by Pooran.
Sanju Samson (6/10) - Buttler’s early fall meant Royals needed their No. 3 to play a bigger part and set a platform for the middle-order to capitalise on. After a decent start, Samson fell prey to Murugan Ashwin’s persistence. He was well set and got out just when he was looking to shift gears.  Â
Ajinkya Rahane (3.5/10) - Rahane batted at 4 in this innings and didn’t waste any time whatsoever in getting the scoreboard ticking. Expectations raised from Rahane with the kind of start he got but he struggled with timing as the innings progressed. Not a good sign for the Mumbai-lad, whose form is just wobbling with every game and needs to set an example for the side with a big score under his belt.Â
Ashton Turner (2/10) - The Australian power-hitter took guard when the asking rate was a little demanding. The situation was perfect for him to go all guns blazing, but needed to pick the right bowler. Murugan Ashwin threw a bait and Turner fell for it after mistiming a tossed up leg-break straight to long-off. Â
Stuart Binny (7/10) - With the asking rate climbing with every delivery, Royals were in desperate need of a cameo. Binny looked as if he was batting on a different wicket altogether the moment he took guard in Mohali. He ensured KXIP didn’t walk away with an easy win and tried his level best to get close to the target, but there is only so much he could do. Â
Jofra Archer (8.5/10) - Who is going to stop England if this guy plays for them? After claiming a wicket at the cost of just three runs in his first spell, he ended up conceding 12 in his third -Â an over where he dismissed Miller on a no-ball. But with a two-run two-wicket last over, he ensured that his figures read 3/15. An astonishing performance by one of the very best in the world.Â
The match was slipping out of control when Archer came into bat and in an attempt to clear the boundary he was caught off shami’s bowling. Can’t really blame him for his run with the bat as RR were running out of options and needed some immediate rescue.Â
Sheyash Gopal (5/10) - If you have heard good things about Gopal during this year’s IPL, let me tell you - all of it is justified. On a pitch that did not have anything for the spinners, Gopal finishing with figures of 0/31 was as good as two wickets on a normal day. If he can add some wickets to his numbers on a regular basis, it could be the push that RR need to make a playoff run.
Jaydev Unadkat (1/10) - For a player who came into the match with an economy of 10.76 in the current season, he outdid himself by conceding at 12 an over. It wasn’t that he was smashed for two sixes by Gayle in the first over - every bowler goes through that - it was the fact that his inaccurate bowling allowed even a docile Rahul to open his arms. His over the top celebration after Rahul’s wicket meant that I had to take another point off him today.
Dhaval Kulkarni (2.5/10) - If you concede just seven runs in your first two overs, you can sense that you are about to have a good day. Not in the IPL though! He conceded 13 in the next to a Gaylestorm, but 20 off three overs in the powerplay is not too bad. The reason for his poor rating is conceding 18 off five deliveries, after he dismissed Miller on the first one, in the last over of the innings.
Ish Sodhi (3/10) - With the wicket not offering the spinners a lot, Sodhi wouldn’t have been too pleased to replace Ben Stokes, who sat out with a hamstring injury, in the game. But he started off well conceding just 22 runs in the first three overs along with Mayank’s wicket. The last over though was a completely different story as he leaked a massive 19 runs to take his economy into double digits.
