The Rajasthan Royals have long cultivated a reputation as a breeding ground for young talent, a philosophy deeply embedded in their approach to the Indian Premier League. While their triumph in the inaugural 2008 season remains a cherished memory, subsequent years have been marked by fluctuating fortunes, with their runners-up finish in 2022 being the closest they’ve come to replicating that early success. The recent 100-run drubbing at the hands of the Mumbai Indians on Thursday (May 1st) officially sealed their fate in IPL 2025, confirming another season without a playoff berth.
Yet, amidst the disappointment of another campaign cut short, the unwavering commitment to nurturing young players continues to be the bedrock of the Royals’ identity. The emergence of the 14-year-old prodigy, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, is the latest testament to this enduring ethos. While the franchise has faced scrutiny for some recent retention decisions – the departures of impactful players like Jos Buttler and Trent Boult being prime examples – fielding coach Dishant Yagnik maintains that the team’s focus remains firmly on the future and the talent within their ranks.
“Whenever a new player has entered our side over the years, they weren’t stars already,” Yagnik asserted during the post-match press conference.
“They became stars at our franchise. The current bunch, we’re confident that they will become stars, we’ll make them stars. ‘We don’t buy superstars, we make superstars,’ that’s our tagline.
“For example, take Vaibhav Suryavanshi; everyone was happy and emotional for him the way he batted. So, in the coming years, guys like him will become stars.
“Time has come for us to look beyond such things (regretting not retaining players like Buttler). When we don’t have them, we have to forget and move on. Now we have Vaibhav, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sanju Samson is our captain. We’ll go ahead with this side, and we’ll prove our winning ability with this side.”
Reflecting on the 2025 season, Yagnik pinpointed the Royals’ inability to execute their plans in crucial moments as the decisive factor. This deficiency proved particularly costly in three successive run chases, ultimately squandering six valuable points. Against the Delhi Capitals and the Lucknow Super Giants, the equation dwindled to single digits in the final over – often considered a comfortable scenario in modern T20 cricket. However, the DC game agonizingly progressed to a Super Over, where the Royals faltered in both strategy and execution. The narrative repeated against LSG, as the batters couldn’t close out what appeared to be a winnable contest.
If Mitchell Starc proved to be the stumbling block in the first instance, Avesh Khan played that role in the subsequent game, derailing the Royals’ campaign. Against the Royal Challengers Bangalore, the equation stood at a seemingly manageable 17 runs needed off the final 12 balls, yet the Royals contrived to fall short by 11 runs. Yagnik candidly admitted that his side was capable of achieving better results in those three pivotal fixtures.
“If you look at most of the games, we were often close to winning those matches. In those crunch moments where execution is crucial, we probably fell short in close games, and that’s how two points went away from us. As you know, we were dominating in those three games (against DC, LSG, and RCB), but there was a shortage in execution during crunch moments. It happens in cricket.”
Another area where the Royals experienced a significant setback this season was their fielding. A string of dropped catches proved detrimental, often shifting the momentum of crucial encounters. The match against MI provided further evidence of this vulnerability, as Suryakumar Yadav benefited from multiple reprieves, which he ruthlessly capitalized on. Yagnik, however, chose to view this season’s fielding lapses as an anomaly, suggesting that fielding form is subject to natural fluctuations in the sport.
“I’ve been the fielding coach for eight years now. From 2018 to 2023, if you check the data, we were always in the top three (in terms of fielding). Once in a while, such a season comes when you miss a lot of catches in back-to-back games. It happens with all franchises.
“In cricket, taking and missing catches are part and parcel of the game. Even today, three catches were missed. What matters is your level of preparation.”
Yagnik commended MI’s formidable batting display after the five-time champions posted a substantial total of 217 on a pitch that wasn’t particularly conducive to high scores. He acknowledged that while the Royals’ bowlers largely executed their plans, they were undone by exceptional batting from the opposition. After Ryan Rickelton and Rohit Sharma laid a solid foundation with their respective half-centuries, Suryakumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya built on their efforts, propelling MI to a daunting total.
Reflecting on his team’s bowling performance, Yagnik refrained from excessive criticism, instead acknowledging the brilliance of the MI batsmen.
“If someone’s skill proves to be a handful for your bowling plans, like Rohit’s skill set, Surya’s skill set, they batted well and hit sixes off really good balls. So, you have to credit Mumbai Indians’ batters for the way they batted. In the last game, GT conceded that Vaibhav played classy shots. Similarly, you need to credit MI for their batting.”
On a night where dew failed to materialize, the Royals’ decision to bowl first after winning the toss appeared to be a miscalculation in hindsight. On a sluggish surface, batting conditions didn’t improve in the second innings, contrary to the home side’s expectations. Given the Royals’ successful chase against Gujarat Titans earlier in the season, their decision to bowl wasn’t entirely surprising, but the outcome ultimately backfired. Yagnik defended the decision, citing the logical reasoning behind it.
“If you look at the previous games played at this venue, batting has always been easier in the second innings. There is always the expectation of dew. With the weather being a bit overcast then (at the time of the toss), there was also the possibility of getting some swing early. So, keeping all these technical points in mind, we bowled first.”
Despite the disappointment of another season ending prematurely, the Rajasthan Royals’ unwavering commitment to nurturing young talent provides a sense of optimism for the future. Their philosophy of “making superstars” rather than buying them underscores a long-term vision that could very well yield significant rewards in the seasons to come. While the present stings, the emergence of players like Vaibhav Suryavanshi offers a glimpse into a potentially brighter future, built on the foundation of homegrown talent.
