"High time for Rajasthan Royals to give Joe Root his IPL debut cap" - Fans react to RR's dismal batting show in nine-wicket defeat vs GT

Fans on Twitter demanded that the Rajasthan Royals (RR) give English batter Joe Root a run in the side after the team's nine-wicket loss against Gujarat Titans (GT) on Friday, May 5.

The Royals could only manage a meager total of 118 after opting to bat first on a pitch that had both dry patches and grass-covered areas. Neither captain knew what to expect from the pitch at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium.

RR captain Sanju Samson (30) was the highest run-getter for the home side as their batting order collapsed following his dismissal. Gujarat Titans chased down the target with 37 balls to spare and nine wickets in hand to retain the top spot in the points table.

Rajasthan Royals are yet to hand a game to Joe Root, who was purchased at his base price of INR 1 crore. In fact, the former England Test skipper is awaiting his IPL debut.

With 249 runs in six innings at a strike rate of 146.47, Root was the third-highest run-scorer in the 2016 ICC T20 World Cup held in India, where England finished as runners-up. The England batter has scored 375 T20I runs in nine innings at an average of 53.57 and a strike rate of 128.86 in India.

Many believe Root can adapt to the sluggish conditions in Jaipur and anchor the innings. Some fans slammed the Royals team management for benching Root even though their other overseas players haven't contributed significantly.

Here are some of the ractions about the Rajasthan Royals leaving Joe Root on the bench for their last 10 league matches:

Setback for Rajasthan Royals' playoffs chances

With back-to-back defeats against Mumbai Indians and Gujarat Titans, Rajasthan Royals have slipped to fourth place in the points table.

RR have won five and lost as many games this season so far. Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) shared one point each due to the downpour in Lucknow. The teams are placed in second and third position, respectively.

Rajasthan are currently tied on 10 points with three other teams. Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Mumbai Indians have both played one match less than RR.

Both MI and RCB will have the opportunity to displace RR from the fourth spot on Saturday, May 6, when they face CSK and Delhi Capitals in their respective fixtures.