“Not like he’s walked in needing 7 an over and failed” - Rahul Dravid’s huge statement on young batter after PBKS vs RR IPL 2025 match

Rajasthan Royals (RR) head coach Rahul Dravid defended wicketkeeper batter Dhruv Jurel after the side's heartbreaking 10-run defeat to the Punjab Kings (PBKS) in Jaipur on Sunday, May 18. Jurel has been involved in several of RR's botched run-chases this season, with the PBKS clash no different.

Walking into the bat with RR needing 96 off 58 deliveries, the 24-year-old scored an impressive 31-ball 53. However, Jurel could not provide the finishing touches again as RR fell short of the target by 10 runs.

Reflecting on their latest defeat and Jurel's finishing failures, Dravid said at the post-match press conference (via India Today):

"In every single match that he has come out in, he’s been chasing 13-14 runs per over — that is not easy. He played really well, even though we lost a bunch of wickets in the middle overs. He brought us close to the target. It’s not like he’s walked in needing 7 an over and failed. It’s always 12-13, sometimes even more. I think Jurel has done well for us at No. 5. It’s a very difficult position to bat in."

He added:

“We’ve got close but haven’t been able to finish the job. It’s been one of those seasons where you feel we give 15-20 runs too many with the ball, and with the bat, after getting into good positions, we haven’t been able to finish with the big shots we needed from the lower middle order. It’s been five games now — 10 runs, tie, 1 run, 2 runs, 10 runs again. These are one or two hits in that final phase that we just haven’t managed."

Jurel was one of RR's big retentions ahead of the IPL 2025 auction at ₹14 crores. However, he hasn't lived up to the high expectations despite tallying 302 runs at an average of 33.55 and a strike rate of over 150 in 13 outings this season.

"No point only blaming the batsmen" - Rahul Dravid

Rahul Dravid criticized the RR bowlers for their inconsistent performances this season, resulting in the batters often chasing massive targets. RR were one of the first sides to get eliminated from the playoffs after a series of close losses.

They are ninth on the points table with only three wins in 13 matches after playoff appearances in two of their last three seasons.

"There’s no point only blaming the batsmen. With the ball too, this wasn’t a 220 pitch. It was more of a 195-200 surface, and we gave 20 extra. If we look at the stats, we’ve not taken enough wickets or controlled the runs despite good starts. That’s something we have to work on for next season."

RR will look to avoid finishing at the bottom of the standings with a win in their final league stage game against the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on Tuesday, May 20.