Sanjay Manjrekar praises RR's batting strategy in win over PBKS
What's the story
Former cricketer and current commentator Sanjay Manjrekar has praised the batting approach of the Rajasthan Royals (RR) as the reason behind their recent success in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
His remarks came after RR thrashed Punjab Kings (PBKS) by 50 runs.
The team's approach was underscored by their six batsmen—Jaiswal, Samson, Parag, Rana, Hetmyer, and Jurel—who kept their strike rates above 145 during the match.
Key players
Manjrekar commends Jaiswal and Parag's performances
Manjrekar lauded Yashasvi Jaiswal's 67-run knock off 45 balls, calling it a "stunning innings" that needed a strong follow-up.
He emphasized Riyan Parag's 45-run contribution off 25 balls as even more important to the team's success.
"Yes, Jaiswal gave them a good start, but he was dismissed in the 14th over," Manjrekar said on 'Kuhl Fans Match Centre Live on JioHotstar' as expert.
Consistency
Manjrekar highlights the importance of consistent strike rates
Manjrekar stressed that five RR batsmen—Jaiswal (148), Samson (146), Parag (172), Rana (171), Hetmyer (166), and Jurel (260)—scored at strike rates of 140, 160, 180, and 200 in their win over PBKS.
He thinks this level of consistency in scoring could be the secret behind their success.
"Sometimes you get a great start, but if no one follows it up, you fall short," he explained. "That didn't happen today."
Bowling strength
Manjrekar praises Rajasthan Royals's bowling combination
Apart from their batting strength, Manjrekar also praised the RR's interesting bowling combination.
He noted Jaiswal's performance as a sign of the team coming together.
"They've got a very interesting bowling combination as well," he said, pointing out Sandeep Sharma's ability to bowl death-over.
RR
RR hand PBKS their first defeat in IPL 2025
Rajasthan Royals handed Punjab Kings their first defeat in the IPL 2025 season.
The Kings, under Shreyas Iyer's captaincy, won their first two matches of the season.
On Sunday, PBKS were blown away by RR in Match 18. RR became the first-ever team to score 200-plus IPL total at Mullanpur, Chandigarh, courtesy Jaiswal's half-century and Parag's explosive unbeaten innings.
Thereafter, a strong start with the ball saw Punjab fail to get past RR's score.