Former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan slammed Rajasthan Royals’ team selection after they suffered a 77-run loss against Gujarat Titans at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur on Saturday. Pathan questioned the inaugural champions for dropping Ravi Bishnoi.

The leg-spinner has scalped 11 wickets in nine matches of IPL 2026 at an average of 23.36 and an economy rate of 9.88. Despite being the team’s second highest wicket-taker after Jofra Archer, Bishnoi has missed two matches in the ongoing season.

Pathan said RR could have also continued with Nandre Burger. The Proteas pacer has bagged 10 wickets in nine matches but had bagged a solitary wicket in last three games and also proved expensive.

Irfan Pathan said on his YouTube Channel, “And also, I did not understand what they are doing with Ravi Bishnoi. It feels like a musical chairs situation. Sometimes he is played, sometimes he is not. Look, this is a strong team. They could have backed Nandre Burger, but they did not. I understand that in the last few matches he has taken only one wicket, but when he was playing earlier, performances were coming from both ends in a good way.”

The former swing bowling expert said RR needed experienced bowlers from both ends. RR went on to concede 229 runs as Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan scored 84 and 55 runs respectively. Barring Yash Raj Punja and Ravindra Jadeja, all the RR bowlers conceded their runs at an economy rate of more than 11.

“So today, there was a need, right? Today they needed experienced bowlers from both ends so that you could take wickets and put Gujarat Titans under pressure. But they did not do that either. Of course, because of Riyan Parag they had to make changes in the team, but this musical chairs situation is not good for Rajasthan Royals. It will also hurt their run rate. This is a big defeat against Gujarat.”

Rajasthan Royals will next take on Delhi Capitals at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi, on Sunday.