There's enough depth...: RR head coach Dravid defends batting line-up ahead of CSK clash

ANI March 30, 2025 196 views

RR head coach Rahul Dravid has backed his team's six-batter strategy ahead of their IPL clash against CSK. He explained that the Impact Player rule has lessened the need for traditional all-rounders in T20 cricket. The Royals have struggled recently with losses to KKR and SRH, while CSK is coming off a heavy defeat to RCB. Dravid remains confident in his team's batting depth, citing Hasaranga and Hetmyer as key contributors down the order.

"The role of the all-rounder now is really diminished." - Rahul Dravid
Guwahati, March 29: Ahead of his side's Indian Premier League (IPL) clash against five-time champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK), Rajasthan Royals (RR) head coach Rahul opened up on playing six genuine batters in their playing eleven, also adding that the Impact Player rule has diminished the role of all-rounders.

Key Points

1

Dravid defends RR's six-batter strategy

2

Impact Player rule reduces all-rounder necessity

3

RR faces CSK after two losses

4

Hasaranga, Hetmyer provide batting depth

After two big losses to defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), RR will take on CSK, who are wounded by a massive loss to Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at home after a winning start against Mumbai Indians (MI).

During the tournament so far, Rajasthan have fielded six genuine batters, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sanju Samson, skipper Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel, Shubham Dubey and Shimron Hetmyer, with Nitish Rana and Wanindu Hasaranga being the all-round options. RR does not have a genuine out-and-out all-rounder.

"Not really, to be honest, a lot of it in these situations now with the Impact Player, you actually do get your bowling and batting options with the 12 players. To be honest, if you look at our last game, we were able to play seven bowling options. We actually had seven bowling options in the playing XI, so we covered in that department," Dravid said, according to ESPNCricinfo,

"With the batting as well, I think we were able to extend our batting using [Wanindu] Hasaranga right up to number eight, Shimron [Hetmyer] came at eight and then we had Jofra [Archer] bat at No. 9. So, I think there is enough depth. The role with the Impact Players, I think the role of the all-rounder now is really diminished."

"Of course, if you have one (a genuine all-rounder), it is great, but I do not think it is as much a necessity as it probably used to be in the past. And that is reflected in the way a lot of teams set up their combinations as well," he concluded.

Squads:

Chennai Super Kings Squad: Rachin Ravindra, Rahul Tripathi, Ruturaj Gaikwad(c), Deepak Hooda, Sam Curran, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni(w), Ravichandran Ashwin, Noor Ahmad, Matheesha Pathirana, Khaleel Ahmed, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Vijay Shankar, Jamie Overton, Shaik Rasheed, Shreyas Gopal, Devon Conway, Mukesh Choudhary, Anshul Kamboj, Nathan Ellis, Gurjapneet Singh, Ramakrishna Ghosh, Andre Siddarth C, Vansh Bedi

Rajasthan Royals Squad: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sanju Samson, Riyan Parag(c), Nitish Rana, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dhruv Jurel(w), Shubham Dubey, Shimron Hetmyer, Jofra Archer, Maheesh Theekshana, Tushar Deshpande, Sandeep Sharma, Kunal Singh Rathore, Akash Madhwal, Kumar Kartikeya, Kwena Maphaka, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Yudhvir Singh Charak, Ashok Sharma, Vaibhav Suryavanshi.

Tags:
IPL 2024 Rajasthan Royals Chennai Super Kings Rahul Dravid Impact Player rule Yashasvi Jaiswal Sanju Samson
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