While the captain Rajat Patidar has announced an unchanged team, RCB don’t have Devdutt Padikkal in their playing XI.
After winning the toss, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) have opted to field first against Rajasthan Royals (RR) in Jaipur. While the captain Rajat Patidar has announced an unchanged team, RCB don’t have Devdutt Padikkal in their playing XI.
While most batting is the same, the team sheet has Rajat Patidar at No.3, with Suyash Sharma in the XI. However, Padikkal has been named in the impact players’ list, which suggests he can come in as a batter in the second innings.
Since RCB are bowling first, they have given themselves a cushion by slotting an additional bowler in the XI. Suyash will likely go out in the second innings, and Padikkal will replace him to bat at No.3 after RCB lose their first wicket.
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He has played as an impact player in all five innings in IPL 2025, and the trend should continue in this latest fixture. RCB have Jacob Bethell and Manoj Bhandage as other substitute options, but they are unlikely to topple Padikkal during the second dig.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru have shown ample trust in Devdutt Padikkal, for they have played him at No.3 in every game. However, he has blown hot and cold with the willow, impressing only in patches.
The southpaw has 79 runs at an average of 15.80 and a strike rate of 138.59 in five innings, with a best of 37. His scores in five outings read – 10, 27, 4, 37, & 1, suggesting he has failed to get going, and when he has got starts, Padikkal hasn’t converted them into big scores.
However, RCB won’t mind those cameos as long as he doesn’t waste balls since he also bats in the powerplay. He showed real signs of struggle only in the previous game against Delhi Capitals (DC), where he scored only a solitary run in eight deliveries.
The biggest reason to play him is that he provides an LHB dimension in an otherwise RHB-heavy batting unit. Hence, Padikkal must step up more consistently in the remaining games, especially now that the tournament is reaching a crucial phase.
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