Virat Kohli slammed 741 runs including a century and five fifties in IPL 2024.© BCCI

The Rajasthan Royals started the IPL 2024 on a high note as they went on unbeaten for several matches. However, the Sanju Samson-led franchise saw a dip in form that saw them losing four matches on the trot. Though the side beat RCB in the Eliminator, RR lost quite tamely to SunRisers Hyderabad in the Qualifier 2. It was yet again a season of ‘so close, yet so far’ for RR. 

With the IPL 2024 edition coming to a close on Sunday, the RR posted an image of its entire squad with the caption ‘Halla Bol, Forever”. The ‘Royals of ’24’ as the photo is being called, has, however, been brutally trolled. The reason is the image R Ashwin, who is sitting on the left side. The photo of Ashwin looks photoshopped. 

you thought we wouldn’t notice pic.twitter.com/KjcQKbWC2E

— sohom (@AwaaraHoon) May 26, 2024

Ashwin Anna after checking his Biceps in the pic pic.twitter.com/DtD9Bb4TVM

— Gaurav Gulati (@gulatiLFC) May 26, 2024

RR Editor thought nobody would notice pic.twitter.com/z1CHPm52QZ

— Mustafa Moudi (@Mustafamoudi) May 26, 2024

Rajasthan Royals skipper Sanju Samson had a good show in IPL 2024. On the captaincy front, he led the side to Qualifier 2 where they lost to SunRisers Hyderabad by 36 runs. Meanwhile, as a batter, Samson scored 531 runs at an average of 48.27 and strike rate of 153.47. However, he failed to showcase his glamour in the Qualifier 2 and lost his wicket for 10 runs off 11 balls in the game in Chennai during RR’s chase of 176.

Samson pulled a flat length delivery of Abhishek Sharma to the right of long-on fielder Aiden Markram, who did not make any mistake.

Former India cricketer, Sunil Gavaskar was left fuming over the dismissal while speaking on Star Sports as quoted by Sportskeeda. He questioned the player’s shot selection.

“What’s the use of scoring 500 runs if you can’t win your team the match or title? Everyone got out while playing glamorous shots. Why has Samson not had a steady India career? It’s because his shot selection has let him down,” said Gavaskar.

Gavaskar even went on to say that Samson’s poor shot selection has played a huge role in him not being a permanent member in the Indian team.

“If his shot selection had been good, his India career too would have been long. I hope that the opportunity he has got in the T20 World Cup, he grabs it with both hands and cements his place,” the legend said.

Sanju Samson walking back to the pavilion during RR’s IPL 2024 Qualifier 2 match vs SRH.© BCCI

Tom Moody slammed Sanju Samson over his “tactical blunder” against SRH.© BCCI

Sunrisers Hyderabad skipper Pat Cummins said on Friday that it was a gratifying experience to see the team turn around its fate and reach the IPL final after a disastrous 2023 season. SRH had finished at the last spot in 2023 but Cummins, who was roped in for a whopping Rs 20.50 crore, scripted a sensational turnaround for the franchise, taking the team to the final with a 36-run win over Rajasthan Royals in Qualifier 2 on Friday. “The boys have been fantastic all season. There’s a great vibe in the squad as you can see and the final was the goal at the start of the season and we made it,” Cummins said at the post-match presentation.

“It is for the whole franchise, probably 60 or 70 of them who put their heart and soul into this. It is really gratifying and hopefully one more left.” Sent in to bat, SRH posted 175 for nine, riding on Heinrich Klaasen’s 34-ball 50 and contributions from Travis Head (34) and Rahul Tripathi (37).

The spinners then joined the party with Shahbaz Ahmed (3/23) and Abhishek Sharma (2/24) sharing five wickets as RR could manage just 139 for 7 in 20 overs. Cummins (1/30) and T Natarajan (1/13) also scalped one each.

“We knew our strength was our batting and we wouldn’t underestimate the experience we have in this squad, it’s a dream having Bhuvi, Nattu and Unadkat, makes my job easy.

On Abhishek’s bowling, Cummins said: “That was a surprise, tried to stick one out of him with a couple of right-handers and he bowled beautifully and those two won it with their bowling in the middle overs.

“170 was a tough chase and had we got a couple of wickets we knew we had a chance.” Rajasthan captain Sanju Samson rued that his batters couldn’t find a way to tackle the spinners.

“It was a big game. I am really proud of the way we bowled in the first innings. We were found short of options in the middle overs against their spin, that’s where we lost the game,” he said.

“It’s very hard to guess actually when we are expecting some dew or when we are not. The wicket started behaving differently in the second innings, the ball started turning a bit, they used that advantage really well.

“They bowled their spin in the middle overs against our right-handed batsmen, that’s where they were one-up against us.” Samson said the batters could have tried something different to upset the spinners.

“Against their left-arm spin, when the ball was stopping, we could have tried a bit more reverse-sweep or maybe use of the crease a bit more. They also bowled really well.” On Sandeep Sharma, who bowled beautifully on the slow track in the middle overs, Samson said: “I am really happy for him. From not being picked in the auctions and coming back as a replacement, the way he bowled, he has definitely delivered.

“If we look at the numbers, Sandeep Sharma in the last two years, he will be the next guy after Bumrah. He has done a great job.” He also lavished praise on the young players of his side.

“We have had some brilliant games not only this season but from the last three years, it has been a great project for our franchise. We have found some really great talent for the country.

“Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel and a lot of them are looking really exciting not only for RR but definitely for the Indian cricket team. We have had some great seasons from the last three years.”

Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar has slammed Rajasthan Royals (RR) youngster Riyan Parag for throwing away his wicket in the crucial IPL 2024 Qualifier 2 match against SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) on Friday. Parag scored just six runs off 10 balls as he was dismissed by SRH’s impact substitute Shahbaz Ahmed. Chasing 176, RR did not score a single boundary in 22 balls before the in-form decided to take on Shahbaz. However, Parag top-edged his shot that went straight up to Abhishek at deep mid-wicket.

Gavaskar, who was on commentary duties, was left fuming with Parag’s approach as he suggested that the youngster’s talent was of no use if he wasn’t going to “think”.

“Seriously, seriously? What’s the use of all the talent if you are not going to think? What kind of shot is that, seriously? So much talent. If you don’t have the temperament, it won’t work. So what if you had a few dot balls? You can still make up for it,” Gavaskar was heard as saying on commentary.

Parag’s dismissal proved to be pivotal in the context of the match as SRH sparked an RR collapse, taking three wickets in the space of 15 balls.

The 2008 champions couldn’t recover from the setbacks as SRH won by 36 runs to advance to the final. Shahbaz was the star of the show for SRH as he came in as an impact substitute to score 18 runs and then returned figures of 3-23.

He was named player of the match and SRH skipper Pat Cummins said it was coach Daniel Vettori‘s call to have the all-rounder come in as impact sub.

Earlier Sunrisers, who had racked up record IPL totals of 277 and 287 this season, lacked firepower in their batting until Heinrich Klaasen boosted the score with his fourth fifty of the season.

Rajasthan’s Trent Boult made early inroads when he got Abhishek in the first over and struck twice in the fifth to send back Rahul Tripathi, for 37, and Aiden Markram, for one.

Fast bowler Avesh Khan took two wickets in two balls, prompting Hyderabad, who won the IPL in 2016 under Australia’s David Warner, to bring in Ahmed.

(With AFP Inputs)

Rajasthan Royals lost by 36 runs against Sunrisers Hyderabad in Qualifier 2© BCCI

IPL 2024: Kavya Maran hugs father Kalanithi Maran at the end of SRH vs RR Qualifer 2.© X (formerly Twitter)

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) bagged six wins on the trot to reach Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 playoffs but were undone by Rajasthan Royals (RR) in the Eliminator on Wednesday. The elimination meant that it was the same old story for the Bengaluru franchise, that has failed to bag an IPL title for 17 seasons in a row. Seeing RCB bow out of the competition, former India cricketer Navjot Singh Sidhu analysed the team’s campaign in his own ‘poetic’ style, with some special words for Virat Kohli too.

Kohli ended the campaign with over 700 runs to his name, while also holding the Orange Cap which will most likely remain on his head by the time the tournament concludes. Sidhu, in a video shared by Star Sports, admitted that it was the battle of survival between RCB and RR, where Sanju Samson‘s team emerged victorious.

“Aar paar ki ladai thi, jeevan Maran ki ladai thi, swabhimaan ki ladai thi aur astitva ki ladai thi. Yahan doosra mauka nahi milega. Aapne kitne saare mauke gawaye hain aur uski wajah se Rajasthan Royals are deserved winner. Aur Kohli ka dil bada hai dost! Iss babbar sher ke andar dil ek boht bada hai. Dariya ke jaisa behta hai. Mubarakbaad dete hue. Deserved winners kehte hue. Prayas poora kiya lekin kuch cheezen aapke bas ke bahar hain (It was a battle for survival, a battle for self-respect, a battle for existence where no second chance was available. You wasted all opportunities, and hence, Rajasthan Royals were deserved winners. But, Virat Kohli’s heart is huge. He congratulated the opponents, lauded them for their deserved win. He tried everything he could but some things are outside your control),” he said in the video.

“Aar paar ki ladai thi, jeevan maran ki ladai thi, swabhimaan ki ladai thi aur astitva ki ladai thi”, @sherryontopp lauds @rajasthanroyals‘ performance in the Eliminator against @RCBTweets!

Expect more gold-class Sidhuism from the Sardar of the commentary box, as Hyderabad faces… pic.twitter.com/dmIoAtJr40

— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) May 23, 2024

To conclude, Sidhu had no qualms in admitting that RCB ‘choked’ yet again, as their trophy-less continues in IPL.

“What cannot be cured has got to be endured. RCB raafta raafta chalte gaye aur ant me aa ke, they choked (RCB progressed step by step and choked in the end),” Sidhu had further said.

Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Rajasthan Royals, Qualifier 2 – Live Cricket Score© BCCI