Rajasthan Royals Focus on High Tempo Ahead of Clash with Mumbai Indians
Rajasthan Royals Prepare for Key Match Against Mumbai Indians
Guwahati (Assam) [India], April 6: Siddhartha Lahiri, the performance coach for Rajasthan Royals, has addressed concerns regarding individual player form, emphasizing the team's commitment to a fast-paced strategy in the ongoing Indian Premier League 2026 season.
During a pre-match press briefing before their game against the Mumbai Indians, Lahiri highlighted the changing dynamics of T20 cricket, which necessitates a fresh outlook on performance.
“The game has evolved significantly, and what some may view as a concern is not an issue for us. Our focus is on the team's tempo. Players are performing at a certain pace, and in this high-risk environment, dismissals are part of the game. What matters is that those who contribute on the day help to advance the innings, as Dhruv, Jaiswal, and Vaibhav did in our previous match,” he stated.
Lahiri reassured that the coaching staff is not anxious about the performance of key players like Shimron Hetmyer and Riyan Parag. “We are not worried about Hetmyer or Riyan's form. We cannot let such matters trouble us. We are in a positive space,” he remarked. He also pointed out that coaches have a limited role in influencing player performance, focusing instead on assisting players in regaining their optimal rhythm. “If coaches start claiming credit, it would be foolish. Our role is to support players in returning to their best batting form,” he added.
He also mentioned that tailored training sessions have been organized to refine players' approaches. “We have worked with them on specific aspects, and I’m pleased to see Dhruv performing well. Riyan is also batting decently but has faced some bad luck. It’s only been two matches—he started strong in the first game. I hope both will have a successful tournament for us,” he expressed.
The Royals are looking to secure their third consecutive victory when they face the five-time champions Mumbai Indians (MI) in Guwahati on Tuesday. Meanwhile, MI will be striving to recover after their defeat to the Delhi Capitals (DC).
Squads:
Rajasthan Royals Squad: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Dhruv Jurel(w), Riyan Parag(c), Shimron Hetmyer, Donovan Ferreira, Ravindra Jadeja, Jofra Archer, Nandre Burger, Tushar Deshpande, Sandeep Sharma, Ravi Bishnoi, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Brijesh Sharma, Ravi Singh, Shubham Dubey, Adam Milne, Dasun Shanaka, Kuldeep Sen, Sushant Mishra, Yudhvir Singh Charak, Kwena Maphaka, Vignesh Puthur, Aman Rao Perala
Mumbai Indians Squad: Ryan Rickelton(w), Rohit Sharma, Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav(c), Sherfane Rutherford, Naman Dhir, Mitchell Santner, Corbin Bosch, Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar, Jasprit Bumrah, Mayank Markande, Trent Boult, Robin Minz, Raj Bawa, Ashwani Kumar, Hardik Pandya, Quinton de Kock, Will Jacks, Mayank Rawat, Raghu Sharma, Atharva Ankolekar, AM Ghazanfar, Danish Malewar, Mohammed Salahuddin Izhar.