Synopsis
On April 24, Rajasthan Royals opted to bowl first after winning the toss against Royal Challengers Bengaluru at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. Stand-in captain Riyan Parag announced the inclusion of Fazalhaq Farooqi in the lineup, aiming to break their losing streak while RCB seeks their first home win of IPL 2025.Key Takeaways
- Fazalhaq Farooqi included in RR lineup.
- Riyan Parag captains the team.
- RCB unchanged despite toss losses.
- RR aims to end four-match losing streak.
- Match played at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.
Bengaluru, April 24 (NationPress) The Rajasthan Royals (RR) have included left-arm pacer Fazalhaq Farooqi in their lineup as stand-in captain Riyan Parag won the toss, opting to bowl first against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium today.
Currently positioned eighth in the points table, RR is looking to end their four-match losing streak, while RCB is on a quest for their inaugural home win of IPL 2025. A victory for RCB at the Chinnaswamy Stadium would elevate them to third place in the standings.
After the toss, Parag mentioned that Farooqi is replacing off-spinner Maheesh Theekshana. “The pitch appears somewhat sticky and should improve as the game progresses. We are focusing on giving our utmost effort; the outcomes will follow. Sanju (Samson) bhai is on the mend. We are taking one game at a time and hope he returns soon,” he stated.
RCB captain Rajat Patidar, who has lost four consecutive tosses at home this IPL season, confirmed that his playing eleven remains unchanged.
“We would have preferred to bowl first as well. The surface has been challenging and unpredictable this season, and we must adapt swiftly. Strong shot selection is crucial,” he added.
Prior to the toss, RR awarded a debut cap to uncapped wicketkeeper-batter Kunal Singh Rathore. With his name listed in the impact substitutes, it will be intriguing to see if he participates in the chase. The match is set to be held on the center pitch, with a straight boundary of 73 meters and square boundaries measuring 64 meters.
Playing XIs:
Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Virat Kohli, Phil Salt, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar (capt), Romario Shepherd, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Tim David, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood, and Yash Dayal
Impact Substitutes: Suyash Sharma, Rasikh Salam, Manoj Bhandage, Jacob Bethell, and Swapnil Singh
Rajasthan Royals: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubham Dubey, Nitish Rana, Riyan Parag (capt), Dhruv Jurel (wk), Shimron Hetmyer, Wanindu Hasaranga, Jofra Archer, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Sandeep Sharma, and Tushar Deshpande
Impact Substitutes: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Yudhvir Singh, Kumar Kartikeya, Akash Madhwal, and Kunal Singh Rathore
