IPL 2025: Rajasthan Royals Opt to Bowl First Against Royal Challengers Bengaluru

Match Preview: RR vs RCB

Bengaluru: In a crucial IPL 2025 match, the Rajasthan Royals (RR) have appointed left-arm pacer Fazalhaq Farooqi to replace off-spinner Maheesh Theekshana as they prepare to bowl first after winning the toss against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Thursday.

Currently sitting in eighth place, RR is eager to end their four-match losing streak, while RCB is on the hunt for their first home victory of the season. A win for RCB would elevate them to third place in the points standings.

After the toss, captain Riyan Parag remarked that the pitch appears somewhat sticky but is expected to improve as the game progresses. He emphasized the importance of giving their all, stating, "If we can give our 100 percent, the results will take care of themselves." He also mentioned that Sanju Samson is recovering and they are taking it one game at a time.

RCB's skipper Rajat Patidar, who has now lost four consecutive tosses at home this season, confirmed that his team remains unchanged.

"We would have preferred to bowl first as well. The pitch has been tricky and unpredictable this season, so we need to adapt quickly and focus on shot selection," he commented.

Before the toss, RR awarded a debut cap to uncapped wicketkeeper-batter Kunal Singh Rathore. It will be interesting to see if he participates in the chase, as he is listed among the impact substitutes. The match will be played on the center pitch, with the straight boundary measuring 73 meters and the square boundaries at 64 meters.

Playing XIs:

Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Virat Kohli, Phil Salt, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar (capt), Romario Shepherd, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Tim David, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood, and Yash Dayal.

Impact Substitutes: Suyash Sharma, Rasikh Salam, Manoj Bhandage, Jacob Bethell, and Swapnil Singh.

Rajasthan Royals: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubham Dubey, Nitish Rana, Riyan Parag (capt), Dhruv Jurel (wk), Shimron Hetmyer, Wanindu Hasaranga, Jofra Archer, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Sandeep Sharma, and Tushar Deshpande.

Impact Substitutes: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Yudhvir Singh, Kumar Kartikeya, Akash Madhwal, and Kunal Singh Rathore.