"I feel that's straightforward" - Aakash Chopra on potential change in RR XI for IPL 2025 clash vs RCB

Former India player Aakash Chopra has opined that Wanindu Hasaranga will replace Fazalhaq Farooqi in the Rajasthan Royals' (RR) playing combination for their IPL 2025 clash against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). He pointed out that Sanju Samson and company would need two specialist spinners at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium.

RR will host RCB in Match 28 of IPL 2025 in Jaipur in the afternoon game on Sunday, April 13. Hasaranga missed the Royals' previous game against the Gujarat Titans (GT) for personal reasons.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra', the former India opener reckoned that Farooqi should make way for Hasaranga in the RR playing XI for their IPL 2025 clash against RCB.

"I have come to know that Hasaranga is available. If Hasaranga is available, he should play. Then Fazalhaq Farooqi will go out, and Hasaranga will come in. I feel that's straightforward because the Sawai Mansingh ground is huge, and spin works there. You need eight overs of spin. You need Maheesh Theekshana and Wanindu Hasaranga," he said (8:05).

Reflecting on RR's seam-bowling attack, Chopra noted that Jofra Archer is back to his best and Sandeep Sharma enjoys an excellent record against Virat Kohli.

"There might be slight problems in fast bowling, but Jofra Archer is finally back. You will be able to manage, as you also have Tushar Deshpande and Sandeep Sharma. Sandeep Sharma vs Virat Kohli is an amazing matchup. He is rarely bowled with the new ball these days, but he has dismissed Kohli seven times," he observed.

Aakash Chopra named Dhruv Jurel, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Nitish Rana as the concerns in the batting department for the Rajasthan Royals. He pointed out that while Jurel has lost form after an impressive start to IPL 2025, Jaiswal and Rana have played just one good knock apiece.

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"Can he be left out?" - Aakash Chopra on Liam Livingstone ahead of RCB's IPL 2025 clash vs RR

Liam Livingstone has aggregated 83 runs at an average of 20.75 in four innings in IPL 2025. [P/C: Getty]

Turning his attention to RCB, Aakash Chopra wondered whether the visitors would drop Liam Livingstone and include Jacob Bethell in their playing XI for their IPL 2025 clash against RR.

"If I look towards Bengaluru, they have slightly fewer concerns. However, one question is getting raised repeatedly. Liam Livingstone, is he the new Maxwell? Someone said that, and I think that makes sense. Can he be left out? Can Jacob Bethell be included in his place? May not be a bad option," he said (10:20) in the same video.

The cricketer-turned-commenator opined that Rajat Patidar and company might give Livingstone a few more chances. However, Chopra urged the England all-rounder to bat more sensibly.

"However, they might not make a change. They might wait for one or two more matches because it won't be good if you make changes after every defeat. He even scored a fifty in the GT match they lost at home. So you don't want to discard him so soon, but Liam Livingstone has to play a bit more sensibly," he observed.

Aakash Chopra noted that he doesn't see too many other concerns for RCB. He opined that the scales are tilted towards the visitors in Sunday's first game, highlighting that they seem to be the better team in man-to-man marking.