Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra has raised concerns over Rajasthan Royals’ (RR) spin bowling strategy for IPL 2025. Chopra criticized the team for releasing Yuzvendra Chahal and Ravichandran Ashwin and not re-signing either of them during the mega auction.
Rajasthan Royals decided not to retain Chahal and Ashwin ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction. The inaugural IPL champions also did not attempt to bring Chahal back in the recent auction. Meanwhile, Chennai Super Kings outbid others to acquire Ashwin for ₹9.75 crore.
They Had Arguably the Best Spin Pair: Aakash Chopra
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra highlighted how Rajasthan Royals tried to address their lower-order issues. However, he pointed out that releasing players forced them to explore other options during the auction.
“They resolved their lower-order issues, but they had Yuzvendra Chahal and Ravichandran Ashwin. You arguably had the best spin pair, yet you let both go. You didn’t retain them, which meant you had to go shopping,” said Chopra.
Rajasthan Royals Need to Rethink Their Strategy: Aakash Chopra
Rajasthan Royals acquired Sri Lankan spinners Wanindu Hasaranga for ₹5.25 crore and Maheesh Theekshana for ₹4.40 crore. They also secured the services of left-arm spinner Kumar Kartikeya from Madhya Pradesh.
Aakash Chopra wasn’t impressed with RR’s decision to rely on Hasaranga and Theekshana as their overseas spinners. He questioned whether they could be as impactful as renowned spinners like Sunil Narine and Rashid Khan.
“They picked overseas spinners Wanindu Hasaranga and Maheesh Theekshana. I feel that Jaipur’s Sawai Mansingh Stadium might suit them, given its larger dimensions. But two overseas spinners, unless they’re Sunil Narine or Rashid Khan, might make you reconsider your strategy,” Chopra remarked.
Wanindu Hasaranga’s Injury Concerns: Aakash Chopra
In the same video, Chopra highlighted Wanindu Hasaranga’s injury-prone nature, suggesting it could pose problems for Rajasthan Royals. He noted that Hasaranga has missed significant cricket due to injuries.
“It’s fine if you sometimes have overseas pacers. But you opted for two overseas spinners, one of whom is highly injury-prone. Wanindu Hasaranga has missed a lot of cricket due to injuries. I don’t think any spinner has been injured more frequently. This is concerning since none of your top six batters bowl, apart from Riyan Parag’s occasional overs,” Chopra stated.
Rajasthan Royals’ Auction Strategy
Rajasthan Royals entered the mega auction with the smallest purse of ₹41 crore. They signed Jofra Archer and invested in Akash Madhwal. Before the auction, Rajasthan retained six players: Sanju Samson, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel, Riyan Parag, Shimron Hetmyer, and Sandeep Sharma.
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