Riyan Parag admitted his decision not to use Ravindra Jadeja with the ball was a “split second” as Rajasthan Royals went down to Sunrisers Hyderabad in Hyderabad.
The call became a major talking point after Rajasthan allowed SRH to post 216 for 6 with Jadeja not bowling an over despite the conditions offering some help to the slower bowlers later in the innings.
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Explaining his decision, Parag pointed to the match situation and the impact of Ishan Kishan, who had a dominant touch during the middle overs.
“Jaddu bhai, I don’t know, it was just a split second. Ishan was batting really well so I didn’t want to take any chances,” said Parag, adding that he decided to stick with other options instead.
In hindsight, the move raised questions, especially as SRH used the lack of spin variation to build a strong total. Kishan’s 91 anchored the innings after the first wickets, allowing the hosts to recover and accelerate.
However, Parag felt that the surface itself played a role in shaping his decision. He noticed that the pitch had some assistance with the new ball early on before it loosened up, making it difficult to time the bowling changes.
While Jadeja didn’t get an opportunity with the ball, he contributed significantly with the bat, scoring 45 and stitching a 118-run stand with Donovan Ferreira to steady the innings after Rajasthan’s early collapse.
Despite this recovery, Rajasthan’s biggest hurdle came with the bat. Chasing 217, they slumped to 9 for 5 in the first three overs, effectively putting the game out of their reach.
The Royals managed a partial fight through the middle order, but the early damage proved too steep to overturn. The collapse also highlighted the impact of SRH’s young bowlers who benefited from the pressure from the start.
Parag acknowledged that while several decisions could have been handled differently, the defeat was due to the overall execution rather than one particular call.
The Royals captain also credited the opposition young seamstresses for setting the tone earlywith how well they handled the pressure in front of the home crowd.
For Rajasthan, the focus now shifts to a quick regrouping after what Parag said was a minor setback in an otherwise strong campaign.
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– The end
Issued by:
Amar Panicker
Published on:
14 April 2026, 5:00 AM IST
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