"Rajasthan didn't used to be so bad in the recent past" - Aakash Chopra on RR ahead of IPL 2025 clash vs GT

Former India player Aakash Chopra has opined that the Rajasthan Royals (RR) weren't as bad in recent years as they have been in IPL 2025. He noted that the franchise's auction strategy will have to be questioned for their underwhelming performances this season.

RR will host the Gujarat Titans (GT) in Match 47 of IPL 2025 in Jaipur on Monday, April 28. With four points from nine games, the hosts are placed ninth on the points table and need to win all their remaining five league games to harbor any hopes of qualifying for the playoffs.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra', the former India opener pointed out that a loss against the Gujarat Titans will knock the Rajasthan Royals out of IPL 2025 and blamed their auction strategy for their poor run this season.

"Rajasthan are all but out. If they lose this match, they will be technically and mathematically out. Forget about supremacy, it's now a matter of existence for them. They are unable to understand what's happening with them. At this point in time, they have no idea. They don't know how to address it and sort it out," Chopra said (11:30).

"Rajasthan will have to really punch above their weight and do something extraordinary to turn this around, or else this season will be almost nightmarish. Rajasthan didn't used to be so bad in the recent past. Suddenly, if something like this has happened, sharp eyes will be on the auction. How did you get it so wrong?" he added.

The Rajasthan Royals finished third in IPL 2024. Apart from some questionable decisions before and during the auction, the inaugural IPL champions have been hit hard by Sanju Samson's injury-enforced absence and their inability to finish games from winning positions.

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"Don't expect that he will come and win you matches" - Aakash Chopra on Vaibhav Sooryavanshi ahead of RR's IPL 2025 clash vs GT

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has scored 50 runs at a strike rate of 156.25 in two innings in IPL 2025. [P/C: Getty]

In the same video, Aakash Chopra noted that the Rajasthan Royals shouldn't expect match-defining performances from Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.

"The batting order was also looking okay now. You sent guys wherever they should have been sent. However, that too didn't make a difference to your future or present. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is like a ray of hope. However, don't expect that he will come and win you matches," he said (12:40).

The cricketer-turned-commentator pointed out that the more experienced players' inability to finish games is the primary reason for RR's sorry situation in IPL 2025.

"Yashasvi Jaiswal, Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel, Shimron Hetmyer and Nitish Rana will have to do this job together. They are unable to finish. They are unable to take them across the line, and that is a bit of a problem, and that's the main reason why they are here," Chopra observed.

Aakash Chopra noted that RR will have to make do with the same playing combination as they don't have suitable replacements on the bench. He opined that Maheesh Theekshana's return at Fazalhaq Farooqi's expense is the only potential change they could consider.