IPL 2025: Aakash Chopra questions Rajasthan Royals’ confusing and brainless schedule
Published - 17 Feb 2025, 06:12 PM | Updated - 17 Feb 2025, 11:35 PM
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Former Indian batter and cricket analyst Aakash Chopra has slammed the Rajasthan Royals’ decision to shift their first two home games away from Jaipur in the upcoming IPL 2025. The Royals have opted to play their opening matches at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati, instead of playing at their fortress, Sawai Man Singh Stadium in Jaipur.
This move forced the Jaipur fans to wait until April 13 to watch Rajasthan Royals in action in the upcoming IPL 2025. After the BCCI announced the full schedule of the upcoming season, Aakash Chopra questioned the logic behind RR’s surprising move, calling it unfair to passionate Jaipur fans who have supported the franchise through thick and thin.
Aakash Chopra slams Rajasthan Royals’ decision to move starting home games from Jaipur in the IPL 2025
The cricket pundit believes that taking games away from their home ground disrupts the team’s home advantage and leaves local fans disappointed and frustrated. Interestingly, the Rajasthan Royals is not the only team opting for a secondary home ground.
Punjab Kings (PBKS) will also play their game in Mohali and Dharamshala, while Delhi Capitals (DC) will kick-start their IPL 2025 campaign in Vizag before returning to their home ground in Delhi. However, RR’s decision was the most baffling one, as they will play their first true home game about one month later, at the start of the next season.
People in Jaipur don’t know when their team will play in Rajasthan: Aakash Chopra
Aakash Chopra said on his YouTube channel, “Three teams, Rajasthan Royals, Delhi Capitals, and Punjab Kings, have alternate venues, and I start wondering why you do that. Rajasthan is starting their campaign with away matches. They don’t win in Guwahati. I think they have won one out of four games. So why are you going there at the start?”
The commentator further explained, “By the time you come to Jaipur, it would be April 13. Twenty-odd days would have passed, and you wouldn’t have come to your home. People in Jaipur don’t know when their team will play in Rajasthan. It doesn’t make sense.”
Meanwhile, Aakash Chopra highlighted the interesting twist in the schedule for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) for the upcoming IPL 18, with most of their home games scheduled towards the later stages of the tournament.
Aakash Chopra predicts a momentum shift for RCB with late home games in IPL 2025
The RCB will play three of their last four matches in Bengaluru, and Chopra feels this timing could work in their favor if they build momentum in the tournament.
What makes their campaign even more exciting is the challenge against Kolkata Knight Riders. Since RCB will begin and end their league stage against KKR, the former Indian batter feels these games could be crucial in deciding RCB’s fate in the upcoming IPL 2025.
Chopra signed off by saying, “They won the last few matches at home, and they happened to qualify. So, if we see last year’s template, it just looks alright. However, it’s interesting that they are starting against Kolkata and are also ending against Kolkata. That could be a tough game because their matches are tight, and Kolkata beat them here.”
