Rajasthan Royals (RR) have lost eight of the nine chasing matches in IPL 2025. Five of these were by a margin of 11 runs or less. They were largely ahead of the opposition in four of these chasing attempts. They were in one back from a comeback position but they were favourites at the beginning of the final five overs. However, only two of their targets this IPL have been under 200, and none under 180. Coach Rahul Dravid has said their bowling was equally to blame if not more than the batting.

"It's been a tough one," Dravid said when asked to assess the middle order. "We've been close, but we just can't quite get the job done. It's been one of those types of seasons where you're always with the ball thinking that we give 15-20 runs more and then you put yourself in really good positions to win the games, but we just can't quite get the job done and a bit around that lower, lower-middle order we just haven't been able to click and get those big shots that we require.".

"I mean, it's been five games now where the margins have really one or two hits which you need in that phase, which, we just haven't been able to do. So it's not that we've been losing too many wickets, we're still only five down today, but we just haven't been able to hit those shots."There's no use just holding the batsman responsible. I feel with the ball too, to be honest, I did not think it was a 220 wicket, it was more like a 195, 200 wicket, and we gave 20 runs more. If we see the statistics, we probably have not been good enough with the ball. Both at picking up wickets and dictating runs. We are running after 200-220 each game."

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Dravid points to bowling woes, backs middle order after RR's disappointing season

Dravid indicated that it was the bowling unit that required serious improvement and hinted at preparation changes prior to the following year. "Still our batters, particularly the openers, have been giving us good starts, but we have been unable to finish the job," Dravid explained. "Work on it for the next year. A bit in the fielding too. You look at a tournament and notice just three wins, but notice the five close losses. Not an excuse, but you can't lose all five close games. We have good batting. In a year they will get even better. Maybe in the bowling, something we need to do to get better."

Dravid didn't see any reason to question the middle order's capabilities. "This is a really quality middle order," Dravid said. "You've got Riyan (Parag) and Dhruv (Jurel) and then Sanju (Samson) is playing in that middle order today as well, so that's really quality India kind of players with an overseas guy who's also playing international cricket.". "To be fair, they all had decent performances throughout the season. They didn't. Riyan played some excellent knocks, Dhruv whom we saw today played an excellent knock, perhaps Hettie at the backend possibly lost out this season, which was slightly hard on us, but that happens. That's the game.That's the nature of the game."