‘We can beat any team…’: RR Coach Vikram Rathour confident despite must-win situation

Rajasthan Royals are still refusing to give up on their IPL 2026 playoff hopes despite another difficult phase in the season. RR batting coach Vikram Rathour said the team remains confident of qualifying for the knockouts if they can win their final two league matches.

Rajasthan currently sit sixth on the points table with 12 points and now face a must-win situation in both remaining games. RR will take on Lucknow Super Giants on May 19 before travelling to Mumbai for their final league clash against Mumbai Indians on May 24.

Vikram Rathour confident RR can still qualify

Rathour said the dressing room is fully focused on winning every remaining match and believes Rajasthan still have the quality to beat any side in the competition.

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“We are planning to win every match. It’s not that we are waiting for the last two matches to win. Every game is important for us and we are trying to win,” Rathour said in the post-match press conference.

“The situation is that we have to win both the games. Our belief is that if we are playing to our potential, we can defeat any team. That is the mindset. We need to turn up and play our best cricket,” he said.

Ravindra Jadeja rested due to knee niggle

Rathour also confirmed that senior all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja missed the previous game because of a minor knee issue.

According to the RR batting coach, the team management decided to give Jadeja extra rest as a precaution ahead of the final two important league matches.

“He just had some niggle in his knee. They felt that if we give him one more game break, it will be good for him. That was the reason he was rested today,” he said.

Rathour backs young RR batters

The former India batting coach also defended Rajasthan’s young batting group and said every player has a different style of scoring runs in T20 cricket.

Rathour explained that players should trust their own strengths instead of trying to copy others.

“Different players will bat differently. Anybody can succeed. You need to identify and know your strengths. If you back your strengths and play to your strengths, you can score runs,” he said.

He also used Virat Kohli as an example while explaining that success in T20 cricket is not only about power-hitting.

“I wouldn’t call him an out-and-out power-hitting player. That tells you there is scope for everybody to succeed, provided you have belief in your abilities,” he said.

RR forced to change bowling plans during match

Rathour revealed Rajasthan had originally planned to use six bowling options during the match but had to adjust after losing wickets quickly during the innings.

“Our initial idea was to take six bowlers. But because we lost those wickets too quickly, we had to pick Dasun (Shanka) as an impact player. Inside, at that point of time, it’s the captain who takes the call.”

He also shared that captain Riyan Parag has been dealing with a hamstring niggle.

“Riyan is also having a niggle with his hamstring, so I am not sure how comfortable he was bowling,” he said.

Vikram Rathour praises Vaibhav Sooryavanshi

Rathour had special praise for young opener Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who has impressed with his aggressive batting this season.

The RR coach admitted the youngster still has areas to improve but called him a special talent capable of playing match-winning innings.

“Nobody is perfect in this world, so everybody will have some weakness here and there. He’s a special player. He’s provided us a really good start. I just hope he converts one innings and goes deeper,” he said.

RR still alive in IPL 2026 playoff race

Despite their inconsistent campaign, Rajasthan Royals still remain mathematically alive in the playoff race. However, the margin for error is now extremely small, with the team needing victories in both remaining matches to keep their qualification hopes alive.

Also Read: IPL 2026 Playoff Scenario Explained: DC Keep qualification hopes alive as four teams battle for last spot