Rajasthan Royals began with a blast, winning their first four matches with ease. But now, their form has taken a nosedive. RR have now lost three of their last four matches in the Indian Premier League 2026. Their batting has become heavily dependent on a 15-year-old, with others just making up the numbers. That wonderkid, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, scored 103 off 37 balls against Sunrisers Hyderabad. Yet, RR could only manage to post 228/6, and as a result, SRH ran away with a win in 18.3 overs. Captain Riyan Parag and Shimron Hetmyer’s form are a real concern as RR aim to bounce back against the runaway leader, Punjab Kings, in their next clash. The RR Playing XI vs PBKS must change.
So far, RR have used just 12 players across 7 matches for continuity. But that is not working anymore, and RR have to look at their bench and bring in in-form players for the PBKS vs RR clash in Mullanpur on April 28. The one change they must make is of Shimron Hetmyer, who has scored just 72 runs in six innings at an average of 14.40 and a strike rate of 116.12. Considering Riyan Parag is immune because of his captaincy role, RR will have to hope that their captain returns to form.
Time to drop Shimron Hetmyer
Shimron Hetmyer has been a pillar of Rajasthan Royals’ middle-order. If he gets going, he can take on any bowling attack. But he is enduring a similar form he had in 2024, when he scored 113 runs in 9 innings. But even in 2024, when he was out of form, Hetmyer scored a brisk strike rate of 163.76, facing only 69 deliveries in 9 innings.
This time, that has not been the case. Hetmyer raised hopes with a decent T20 World Cup 2026 run with 248 runs in 7 innings with a strike rate of 186.46. At No. 3 of the West Indies batting line-up, he dictated the middle-overs. But for Rajasthan, that role has changed. He is the designated finisher, who will play 8-10 deliveries for the maximum impact. Guess what? That has failed horribly. The strike rate of 116.12 at No. 5 or 6 does not justify the role at all. Instead, Donovan Ferreira, who is in form, could be used for that role.
Predicted RR Playing XI vs PBKS
Playing XI
Batter
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Batter
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WK-Batter
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All-rounder
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WK-Batter
All-rounder
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All-rounder
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Pace Bowler
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Spin Bowler
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Pace Bowler
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Pace Bowler
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WK-Batter
Pace Bowler
Pace Bowler
Pace Bowler
All-rounder
Who replaces Hetmyer?
It’s not easy for teams to replace a player with a specific role. Dhruv Jurel would have been the ideal batter to take his spot at No. 5 or 6. However, since his promotion to No. 3, Jurel has been in excellent form, scoring 232 runs in 8 innings at a strike rate of 163.38. With Riyan Parag also out of form, Jurel is crucial at No. 3. Hence, RR won’t think of replacing Hetmyer with Jurel or swapping their batting positions.
That leaves Ravi Singh as the only option in the middle-order. So far, he has been among the Impact Sub without playing any innings. But with 6 matches to go in the league stage of IPL 2026, RR have to make some desperate changes and not cling on to what should have worked out the best.
Mukul Choudhary has already proven that for Lucknow Super Giants with a match-winning knock. And Rajasthan will also have to take the punt with Ravi Singh. For Railways, at No 5, Ravi Singh smashed 218 runs at a strike rate of 173.02, exactly what Rajasthan Royals need at the moment.
RAVI SINGH
A hard-hitting wicketkeeper-batter for Rajasthan Royals, Ravi Singh boasts a 173.02 SMAT strike rate and an 88.50 Vijay Hazare average.
| Tournament | Inn | Runs | Avg | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ranji Trophy | 4 | 232 | 77.33 | N/A |
| Vijay Hazare Trophy | 5 | 354 | 88.50 | 124.21 |
| Syed Mushtaq Ali | 7 | 218 | 36.33 | 173.02 |
| UPT20 League | 10 | 208 | 23.11 | 161.24 |
Any changes in bowling?
The one department that seems sorted for Rajasthan Royals is their bowling. Jofra Archer and Nandre Burger have been the backbone with 13 and 8 wickets, respectively. Ravi Bishnoi has spearheaded the spin attack with 11 wickets.
Ravindra Jadeja has kept the scoring rate in check in the middle overs with disciplined bowling (7.00 economy). Their new pace bowling recruit, Brijesh Sharma, has also done well with 7 wickets. Hence, RR will not look to change anything in the bowling department.
In Mullanpur, where pacers have had some assistance in IPL 2026, RR Playing XI could use the help of Dasun Shanaka as an all-rounder. While his inconsistency is a major concern, if he gets going, the Sri Lanka T20I captain can be a good addition.
Rajasthan Royals Squad
Rajasthan Royals
Batters
All-rounders
Bowlers
The post Predicted RR Playing XI vs PBKS: Time to drop struggling Shimron Hetmyer appeared first on Inside Sport India.