3 changes RR can consider for their IPL 2023 clash against PBKS

The Rajasthan Royals (RR) have been arguably the most disappointing side in this year's IPL, considering their performance last year and the start they had this season. After three years of missing the playoffs from 2019 to 2021, the franchise bounced back spectacularly, finishing runners-up a year ago.

With their core squad still intact, RR were expected to go one step further this year and win their second IPL title. However, after a promising start where they won four of their first five games, the Royals have been on an incomprehensible downward slide, losing six of their last eight games.

The Royals' latest outing saw them go down against the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) by 112 runs at home in Jaipur. The defeat left them in a precarious position on the points table with 12 points in 13 games.

Despite the franchise boasting the third-highest run-scorer and wicket-taker in the competition in Yashasvi Jaiswal and Yuzvendra Chahal, inconsistencies in all departments through the second half of the season have severely dented their hopes of qualifying for the playoffs.

Rajasthan will now have to win their final game against the Punjab Kings (PBKS) by a substantial margin and hope for several other results to go their way to qualify for the playoffs.

With that in mind, let us look at three changes RR can consider for their IPL 2023 clash against PBKS.

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#1 RR should send Shimron Hetmyer up the batting order

Rajasthan Royals should consider sending the swashbuckling West Indian Shimron Hetmyer up the batting order, considering the high-scoring nature of the Dharamsala wicket.

The first match at the venue saw the Delhi Capitals and the Punjab Kings combine for 411 runs in 40 overs. With the high altitude helping the ball travel farther, six hitters like Hetmeyer will enjoy batting at the Dharamsala.

In the previous encounter against RCB, the southpaw batted at No.6 and struck a 19-ball 35 despite the side being in dire straits.

Heytmyer has been in excellent form this year, scoring 254 runs at an average of 36.29 and a strike rate of 150.30. However, he has averaged facing only 13 balls per innings through the tournament, having batted at numbers five and six.

With RR in desperate need of a big win and considering the nature of the Dharamsala wicket, they would be well served to bat Hetmyer up the batting order at no.4.

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#2 RR should drop Joe Root or Devdutt Padikkal for another bowler or bowling all-rounder

The Rajasthan Royals are in a position where their qualification to the playoffs will depend on net run rate, even if they beat the Punjab Kings in their final game.

A victory will get them to 14 points, but they may have to beat the Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bangalore through net run rate should there be a three-way tie.

Considering the above, RR might be better served to drop Joe Root or Devdutt Padikkal, who play sheet anchor roles, for a bowler or a bowling all-rounder.

It is also worth noting that the team played only five specialist bowlers in the previous game against RCB, which could be detrimental in a high-scoring venue like the Dharamsala.

If the Kiwi veteran Trent Boult is available, it would be a no-brainer to draft him in place of Joe Root to strengthen their bowling and increase their number of bowling options and use the Impact Player rule to beef up their batting during their batting innings.

RR could also draft in all-rounder Jason Holder for Joe Root to not compromise much in the batting department and add a sixth bowler to the lineup.

The Royals can also drop Devdutt Padikkal for Kuldeep Sen or Murugan Ashwin to achieve a similar balance in the bowling department.

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#3 RR should open the bowling with Ravichandran Ashwin

The Rajasthan Royals should consider opening the bowling with Ravichandran Ashwin to negate the threat of Punjab Kings skipper Shikhar Dhawan. Despite a slight dip in form, Dhawan will be PBKS' key batter for the Royals to dismiss early.

Considering that, It may be worthwhile for RR to open the bowling with off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin against the 37-year-old Dhawan.

The southpaw has been dismissed by Ashwin four times in the IPL and averages only 23 against the wily off-spinner at a strike rate of 84.40.

The strategy of the off-spinner bowling to left-hand opening batters has been used successfully before, with Dhawan himself falling prey to it against Jayant Yadav in Qualifier 1 against the Mumbai Indians in 2020.

MS Dhoni has also used this strategy of bowling Ashwin in the powerplay to get the better of Chris Gayle in the 2011 IPL finals between the Chennai Super Kings and the Royal Challengers Bangalore.