'We've been getting good starts but...': Riyan Parag blames middle order as Rajasthan Royals eliminated from IPL 2025 playoffs race

Rajasthan Royals (RR) captain Riyan Parag blamed the middle-order batters for the team's 100-run loss against Mumbai Indians (MI) at Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur. With that defeated RR becomes the second team after Chennai Super Kings (CSK) to get eliminated from the playoffs race of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025.

Parag also lauded MI's batting as Rohit Sharma and Rickelton gave a good start before Suryakumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya powered the visitors to 217/2.

"You've got to give credit to MI for the way they batted. They kept wickets. Yeah, 190-200 would have been ideal. We've been getting good starts. But it's up to the middle order - myself, Dhruv - to step up. We've done a lot of things right and wrong. A lot of mistakes and small errors. We want to focus on them, and focus on the good [stuff] as well" said Riyan Parag in post match presentation.

Coming back to the match, after being asked to bat, MI scored 217 for two. In reply, RR were all out for 117 in 16.1 overs as MI closed in on securing a playoff berth. MI were off to a good start with brisk half-centuries from Rohit Sharma (53 off 36 balls) and Ryan Rickelton (61 off 38) to post a formidable total.

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Speedster Jasprit Bumrah (2/15) and Trent Boult (3/28) then bamboozled the RR batting before leg-spinner Karn Sharma (3/23) wrapped up a big win for the visitors.

The likes of Jasprit Bumrah (2/15) and Trent Boult (3/28) then rattled the RR batting before leg-spinner Karn Sharma (3/23) wrapped up a big win for the visitors. Last match, centurion Vaibhav Suryavanshi was dismissed by Deepak Chahar for a two-ball duck.