Rajasthan Royals (RR) are already out of the IPL 2025 with 3 wins in 12 games and standing in the 9th position of the TATA IPL 2025 points table. Currently, the team is going through a tough phase, as most of their key players are sidelined due to injuries and fitness issues.

Recently, the franchise took centre stage and announced South African pacer Nandre Burger as the injury replacement for the star pacer of RR, Sandeep Sharma, for the remainder of the ongoing IPL 2025. Sandeep Sharam played 10 matches for RR this season, who was bought for Rs 4 crores at the 2025 IPL auction.

It is worth noting that pacer Sandeep Sharma has been ruled out of the remaining games of the TATA IPL 2025 due to a fractured finger, which he suffered during a match against the Gujarat Titans (GT). Despite getting the injury, Sharma completed his four-over spell, showcasing his passion and love for the game. Sharma played 10 matches for RR this season, where he picked up seven wickets at an average of 20.71 and an economy of 8.52.

Rajasthan Royals Signed A Left Arm Pacer As Sandeep Sharma's Replacement

Nandre Burger, who will now play as a replacement for Sandeep Sharma, was unsold at the 2025 auction with a base price of Rs 1.25 crores. Rajasthan Royals have signed the tall left-arm pacer as Sandeep's replacement for a more expensive Rs 3.5 crores.

“Rajasthan Royals (RR) picked Nandre Burger as an injury replacement for Sandeep Sharma for the remainder of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025. Nandre Burger – the left-arm South African pacer – has previously played for RR in the IPL 2024 and picked 7 wickets from 6 games. He joins RR for INR 3.5 crore,” according to the IPL statement.

Burger came through as the second replacement signing for the Rajasthan Royals in one day, after they announced 19-year-old Lhuan-dre Pretorius as the replacement for the injured Nitish Rana.

The South African left-arm pacer had made his IPL debut with Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2024, and will look to make a comeback and do well in the remaining matches. Burger has an excellent T20 record with 77 wickets in 69 games at an average of 23.44 and an economy of 7.73. Due to an injury, he was out of action since South Africa's ODI series against Afghanistan in September 2024.

With 6 points in 12 games Rajasthan Royals currently stand in the 9th place in the points table. After qualifying for the playoffs in two of the last three seasons, RR became the second team, after the Chennai Super Kings (CSK), to get eliminated from the TATA IPL playoff race.

RR will hope to avoid finishing at the bottom of the points table and come back with a strong team in their final two matches against CSK and Punjab Kings (PBKS) on May 12 and May 18, respectively. The team will encounter Chennai Super Kings in their next game of the tournament at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on May 12.