MUMBAI: A blank expression clouded Rajasthan Royals head coach Rahul Dravid’s face as he watched his side unravel once again. His carefully put-together batting unit had collapsed dramatically in the death overs against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, dashing their hopes at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium.
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The Rajasthan dugout sat in stunned silence, witnessing a familiar pattern unfold — the team getting agonizingly close to a target before throwing away the advantage.
This latest defeat highlighted a recurring issue for the Royals, who now have seven losses from nine games. Pacer Sandeep Sharma admitted the team has been struggling to handle pressure situations and close out matches effectively.
"In all three games, we needed nine runs an over. In T20s these days, with the kind of hitting ability we have, that shouldn't be difficult. But we're losing wickets at key moments. When we try to accelerate, it's not clicking. We're not executing our plans under pressure," Sandeep explained, reflecting on their streak of three consecutive defeats while chasing.
Riyan Parag, who captained the side in the absence of the injured Sanju Samson, echoed a similar feeling of frustration.
"Halfway through our innings we were in the driver's seat. We've got ourselves to blame. We didn't show enough intent against spinners. It's a tournament where if you make a slight mistake, you'll pay for it. We've got to play for pride now," Parag said.
The Royals' troubles extended beyond just their batting. Their fielding has also let them down throughout the season. On Thursday, two dropped catches — those of Phil Salt and Devdutt Padikkal — proved to be major turning points in the match.
"We haven't been able to grab the crunch moments, whether chasing or defending. In T20 cricket, every team gets those moments. You have to take them. This year, we're dropping crucial catches, losing wickets right when we need to push the scoring. That's been the problem, we're crumbling under pressure," Sandeep admitted.
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