"Will you win or will you qualify only when others win?" - Aakash Chopra on Rajasthan Royals continuing their losing run in IPL 2024 clash vs PBKS

Aakash Chopra has noted that the Rajasthan Royals (RR) are on a losing spree and have only qualified for the IPL 2024 playoffs based on other favorable results. RR suffered a five-wicket defeat at the hands of the Punjab Kings (PBKS) in Guwahati on Wednesday, May 15.

The Royals set PBKS a below-par 145-run target after opting to bat first. The visitors chased down the target with seven deliveries to spare to hand Sanju Samson and company their fourth consecutive defeat,

Reviewing the game in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra observed that the Rajasthan Royals haven't won a game this month.

"What has happened RR guys, will you win or will you qualify only when others win? You might feel bad that why am I saying that as you won eight matches. It seems like you won those eight matches last month. Have you won a match this month? I think they haven't won a match this month," he said (14:40).

The former India opener questioned the Jaipur-based franchise for playing two home games in Guwahati.

"They have lost four consecutive matches and their condition is looking slightly miserable. They win the toss and bat first but don't score runs after that. They didn't show any intent, whether it was in Chennai or Guwahati. Why are you getting such a pitch made in Guwahati?" he stated.

"Firstly, why are you making a home away from home? If you have a fortress in Jaipur, which no one is able to breach, you have understood those conditions well and played five matches as well, why should you travel and go somewhere else?" Chopra added.

Chopra pointed out that he doesn't have an issue with the Rajasthan Royals playing in Guwahati as long as they play all seven home games at the venue.

He reasoned that the team had to travel to a different venue, conditions they weren't accustomed to, at the business end of the tournament.

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"Tom Kohler-Cadmore played some slogs but he won't work on slow pitches" - Aakash Chopra on Rajasthan Royals' batting

Tom Kohler-Cadmore scored 18 runs off 23 deliveries. [P/C: iplt20.com]

Reflecting on the Rajasthan Royals' batting, Aakash Chopra noted that while Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sanju Samson were dismissed cheaply, Tom Kohler-Cadmore is unlikely to deliver the goods on slow pitches.

"Yashasvi (Jaiswal) once again at the start. He tried to hit the ball so hard and the ball hit his stumps. Sanju Samson also got out. There were expectations from him but he jumped and tried to play some shot. Tom Kohler-Cadmore played some slogs but he won't work on slow pitches," he elaborated (15:45).

While praising Riyan Parag for being a lone warrior at his home ground, the cricketer-turned-commentator claimed that the Rajasthan Royals posted a below-par total.

"He will neither work here nor in Chennai, if this team reaches there, because they might get stuck in Gujarat itself. Riyan Parag saved them for some time. In fact, he only stood till the end. The wickets were falling regularly at the other end, whether it was Rovman Powell or Dhruv Jurel. The team reached close to 145 with great difficulty. Is that enough? Not at all," Chopra said.

Parag top-scored for the Royals with a 34-ball 48. Ravichandran Ashwin (28 off 19) was the only other RR player to reach 20.