The broader concern is structural. None of Royals’ batters strike better against spin than pace, and their middle order, in particular, takes time to get going against spin. Across their first ten balls against spin in IPL since 2024, four of their middle-order options operate at strike rates between 84 and 114; only Parag averages above 21. In this game, that trend held: 17 runs from 23 balls of spin between them today, just one boundary.
