The Rajasthan Royals are a force to reckon with- a solid top order, a middle order brimming with young talent and a bowling tank with immense international experience, this team has got it all. But why aren’t they winning titles? A team in a lot of ways is an embodiment of its leader. Sanju Samson has been a bright change for RR, bringing success the team hadn’t seen in a long time. But they still aren’t able to get to that finish line. And this is because of their performances in the second half of the league. Sanju Samson has consistently racked up high scores in the opening matches of Rajasthan Royals.
Samson in his first match of an IPL season since 2020 :
74(32) vs CSK 2020
119(63) vs PK 2021
55(27) vs SRH 2022
55(32) vs SRH 2023
82*(52) vs LSG 2024
And that’s why Rajasthan has been phenomenal at the start. After all teams finished playing their opening match, RR found themselves atop the table after a comfortable win against LSG. Although they have been one of the teams usually not discussed as title contenders, they have recently been solid starters and experts rave about the squad and how they can go all the way. But what happens to them afterwards? RR have been guilty multiple times of crumbling through the foundation they built throughout a season, failing to cross the finish line and secure the victories in the second half of their campaign. Holes in their squad have been exploited and RR find themselves struggling to qualify as the league stage ends, leaving everyone wondering where everything went wrong.
Sanju Samson has been haunted by consistency issues throughout his career, and he also seems to lose the great start that he has consistently built for himself through a string of inconsistent performances. And after all, a team is mirrored by its leader, and like Sanju, the blazing flame of potential for the Rajasthan Royals grows timid and fizzles out when it matters the most.
This is not to say there hasn’t been positive change. Rajasthan have come from being one of the teams that were happy if they got to mid-table, to finding themselves gracing the top half of the table.
They have built a solid squad in the last mega auction and have seemed to establish a core group of players that have now played enough cricket together as part of the franchise. And with the emergence of Sanju the captain, RR have improved in leaps and bounds. But now they must take the step of maintaining consistency, carrying their winning momentum forward and not giving their opponents an inch of breathing space. RR have proven themselves to be title contenders and have the team that can win them that title that has eluded them since their opening win in 2008. The potential is clear, and with RR’s relentless support to youngsters at a stage where it can finally bear its fruits, and with the spirited Sangakkara on their side, this is the time for RR. They must function as a consistent unit and shoo the ghosts of inconsistency away to build a solid campaign that will win them the title. It’s what they deserve, and it’s what their fans deserve.
