Vikram Rathour, the batting coach for the Rajasthan Royals, claims that his team may still make it to the IPL playoffs if they win their final two league games. He feels the team can defeat any opponent if they play to their full potential.
RR, who have 12 points and are ranked sixth in the rankings, will play the Lucknow Super Giants at home on May 19 before traveling to play the Mumbai Indians in their last league game on May 24.
“We are planning to win every match. It’s not that we are waiting for the last two matches to win. Every game is important for us and we are trying to win. The situation is that we have to win both the games. Our belief is that if we are playing to our potential, we can defeat any team. That is the mindset. We need to turn up and play our best cricket,” PTI quoted Rathour as saying at the post-match press conference.
Rathour also gave an update on veteran spin-all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, stating that due to a knee niggle, the team management had decided to rest him as a precaution.
“He just had some niggle in his knee. They felt that if we give him one more game break, it will be good for him. That was the reason he was rested today,” he said.
Rathour, who supports the team’s young batters, advised players to concentrate on their unique skills rather than attempting to imitate others.
“Different players will bat differently. Anybody can succeed. You need to identify and know your strengths. If you back your strengths and play to your strengths, you can score runs,” he said.
Rathour cited Virat Kohli as an example of a player who succeeds without exclusively depending on power-hitting when discussing contemporary T20 batting strategies.
“I wouldn’t call him an out-and-out power-hitting player. That tells you there is scope for everybody to succeed, provided you have belief in your abilities,” he said.
Regarding RR’s tactical choices during the game, Rathour stated that the team had originally intended to employ six bowling options but had to change course after losing wickets in large numbers.
“Our initial idea was to take six bowlers. But because we lost those wickets too quickly, we had to pick Dasun (Shanka) as an impact player. Inside, at that point of time, it’s the captain who takes the call.”
Additionally, Rathour disclosed that captain Riyan Parag has been experiencing hamstring pain.
“Riyan is also having a niggle with his hamstring, so I am not sure how comfortable he was bowling,” he said.
Rathour praised the aggressive batting of opener Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, saying the young man was still a “special player” in spite of his occasional flaws.
“Nobody is perfect in this world, so everybody will have some weakness here and there. He’s a special player. He’s provided us a really good start. I just hope he converts one innings and goes deeper,” he said.
