Riyan Parag calls for middle-order accountability after huge loss against MI

Jaipur (Rajasthan) [India], May 2 (ANI): Rajasthan Royals (RR) slumped to their eighth defeat of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season after suffering a crushing 100-run loss against a resurgent Mumbai Indians (MI), who notched their seventh win of the campaign and their sixth consecutive victory on Thursday.
MI posted a daunting total of 217/2, riding on a measured and calculated batting display that saw them keep wickets in hand and accelerate in the latter stages. In response, Rajasthan never really got going and collapsed under scoreboard pressure.
Speaking after the match, Riyan Parag acknowledged Mumbai's superior performance.
"You've got to give credit to MI for the way they batted. They kept wickets," Parag said, as quoted from ESPNcricinfo.
"Yeah, 190-200 would have been ideal. We've been getting good starts. But it's up to the middle order - myself, Dhruv (Jurel) - 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," he added.
Parag's comments point to growing concerns within the RR camp, especially with the middle order failing to provide the finishing flourish.
Mumbai Indians appear to be peaking at the right time, with their sixth straight win making them one of the most dangerous sides in the competition.
This was MI's sixth straight victory after losing four out of their initial five matches.
Chasing a huge target of 218, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Vaibhav Suryavanshi opened the innings for RR. MI bowler Deepak Chahar removed Suryavanshi in the very first over for zero. Nitish Rana joined Jaiswal in the middle.
Jaiswal was also soon removed by Trent Boult for 13 (6) in the second over of the innings. Rajasthan kept losing wickets at regular intervals. Rana, after a struggle in the middle, was removed by Boult for 9 (11) in the 4th over.
RR skipper Riyan Parag and Dhruv Jurel tried to up the run rate, but Parag got out, hitting a ball straight to Rohit Sharma off Jasprit Bumrah in the 5th over. The veteran seamer Bumrah removed Shimron Hetmyer on the very next ball.
Impact player Shubham Dubey joined Jurel in the middle. RR finished their power-play on 62/5. MI captain Hardik Pandya took the wicket of Dubey on his first ball in the match. Shubham made 15 (9), his innings included two fours and a six.
Jofra Archer joined Jurel in the middle, and both batters rotated strike for a couple of overs. Jurel was also removed by Karn Sharma in the 9th over, for 11 (11). RR were 76/7 in nine overs.
Maheesh Theekshana joined Archer in the middle, Bumrah in his third over dropped a caught and ball chance of Theekshana, but he was removed by Karn Sharma in the next over for 2 (9). Karn got two wickets in his second over, he got the better of Kumar Kartikeya for zero, RR were 91/9 in 12 overs.
Archer and Akash Madhwal added 26 runs for the last wicket.
MI bowling outplayed RR as Karn Sharma and Trent Boult took three wickets each, and Bumrah took two.
Hardik Pandya and Deepak Chahar took a wicket each.
In the first innings, MI openers got off to a flying start, bringing up the team's 50 in just 5.2 overs and finishing the powerplay at 58 without loss.
Rickelton was the first to reach his half-century, getting there in 29 balls, while Rohit followed soon after with a 50 off 31 deliveries.
The duo stitched a 116-run opening partnership before Sri Lankan spinner Maheesh Theekshana provided the breakthrough, dismissing Rickelton for 61 (38 balls), a knock studded with seven boundaries and three sixes.
Rohit departed shortly after for 53 (36 balls), which included nine fours, falling to Rajasthan skipper Riyan Parag. However, there was no respite for the Royals as Suryakumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya took charge in the latter half of the innings.
The pair added an unbeaten 94-run partnership, with both batters finishing on identical scores of 48, with the runs coming in 23 balls each.
Suryakumar sealed the innings in style, launching a six off the final delivery. He and Pandya remained not out.
Only Theekshana and Parag managed to pick up a wicket each for the hosts. (ANI)