Jaiswal's Form and Off-Field Moves Take Centre Stage Ahead of Key Clash
Mullanpur, April 4: Rajasthan Royals (RR) will aim to assert their dominance when they face a resurgent Punjab Kings (PBKS) in Saturday’s IPL 2025 encounter, with all eyes on under-fire opener Yashasvi Jaiswal. The left-hander, hailed as the next big thing in Indian cricket, has been making headlines for reasons beyond the pitch — but now must let his bat do the talking.Jaiswal's Struggles Continue Amid Leadership Aspirations
Jaiswal, who recently made the switch from Mumbai to Goa reportedly due to internal team disputes with a senior player, has yet to fire this season. His returns so far — 1, 29, and 4 — have been underwhelming, especially for someone tipped as the heir to Virat Kohli.Sources suggest his lack of form may be tied to limited game time since his ODI debut against England in February, after which he was dropped from the Champions Trophy squad. Adding to the uncertainty is RR's controversial decision to appoint Riyan Parag as interim captain during Sanju Samson’s brief absence — a move reportedly not well received by Jaiswal.
Despite Parag's leadership stint, the Royals failed to look convincing, though they did manage a win against a struggling Chennai Super Kings outfit. The return of Samson as captain is expected to bring greater stability and direction.
Punjab Kings Ride High on Shreyas Iyer’s Leadership and Power-Hitting
In contrast, Punjab Kings, under the captaincy of Shreyas Iyer, appear a more settled unit. Iyer has led from the front with two commanding half-centuries, showing marked improvement in his power game. Notably, he has already equaled his tally of 13 sixes from the entire 2024 season — in just two games.Iyer’s captaincy has drawn praise for its tactical acumen. Smart field settings — such as a deep extra cover for Nicholas Pooran and a fielder at '45' for Rishabh Pant — have showcased his strategic flair. Glenn Maxwell has also shone with the ball, outperforming even the likes of Yuzvendra Chahal in recent matches.
Royals Need a Batting Surge to Offset Bowling Limitations
For Rajasthan, the match could be decided by their batting might. While their bowling attack — featuring Jofra Archer, Maheesh Theekshana, Sandeep Sharma, Wanindu Hasaranga, and Tushar Deshpande — is solid, it doesn’t strike fear into opponents. To compensate, they may need to post totals in excess of 210 to truly challenge Punjab’s aggressive line-up.Samson’s return will be key, but RR will also hope for form reversals from Jaiswal and young Dhruv Jurel. In the death overs, Shimron Hetmyer’s finishing prowess could prove the difference.
Squads
Punjab Kings:Shreyas Iyer (captain), Priyansh Arya, Pyla Avinash, Harnoor Singh, Josh Inglis, Prabhsimran Singh, Vishnu Vinod, Nehal Wadhera, Azmatullah Omarzai, Aaron Hardie, Marco Jansen, Glenn Maxwell, Musheer Khan, Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Suryansh Shedge, Arshdeep Singh, Xavier Bartlett, Yuzvendra Chahal, Praveen Dubey, Lockie Ferguson, Harpreet Brar, Kuldeep Sen, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Yash Thakur
Rajasthan Royals:
Sanju Samson (captain), Riyan Parag, Shubham Dubey, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Kunal Rathore, Shimron Hetmyer, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel, Nitish Rana, Yudhvir Singh, Jofra Archer, Maheesh Theekshana, Wanindu Hasaranga, Akash Madhwal, Kumar Kartikeya Singh, Tushar Deshpande, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Kwena Maphaka, Ashok Sharma, Sandeep Sharma
As the Royals return to full strength under Samson’s captaincy, their clash against Punjab Kings could be a turning point — especially for Jaiswal, who must quickly rediscover his touch to remain in the spotlight for all the right reasons.