Rajasthan Royals are really having a tough time in IPL 2025. On Thursday, they faced their fifth loss in a row, this time against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, falling short by 11 runs. The absence of their regular captain, Sanju Samson, who is dealing with a side injury, has really hurt their chances. Fast bowler Sandeep Sharma spoke about how missing Samson has affected the team, pointing to the batting collapses and mistakes on the field.
In the post-match chat, Sandeep didn’t hold back about the impact of not having Sanju around. He explained, “His experience and leadership are things we can’t replace. Sanju’s such a smart player, and us missing him has impacted how we play. He couldn’t even start the season with us because of injury, and now, just when he was back for a few games, he’s hurt again. All of this adds up and makes it tough for us.”
Sanju’s season has been pretty shaky so far. He was out for the first three games, which meant Riyan Parag had to step up and lead. After Sanju did come back and played for a bit, things took a turn for the worse when he got hurt again during a super-over loss to Delhi Capitals. Now, he’s missed two matches in a row, including the recent one against RCB.
Riyan Parag, taking charge in Sanju’s absence, shared that they still don’t have a clear idea of when Sanju will be fit to play again. As it stands, the Royals sit in eighth place in the ten-team league, with only three wins out of nine matches. They really need to turn things around fast if they want to keep their hopes of making the playoffs alive. Their next game is against Gujarat Titans, who are currently leading the table, scheduled for April 28.
Unfortunately, the batting lineup for the Royals, aside from Riyan Parag and Yashasvi Jaiswal, has really struggled to make an impact. On top of that, they’ve seen too many dropped catches and mistakes in the field, which only adds to their problems. With no clear return for Samson yet, the team’s chances of getting back in the race feel pretty slim right now.
