RR vs DC Pitch Report: Sawai Mansingh Stadium’s Chasing Trend Shakes Up IPL Strategies

Apr, 17 2025

Sawai Mansingh Stadium: Where Chasing Teams Have the Edge

The Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur doesn’t play by the same rules as most other cricket venues. In recent IPL seasons, it has become a hunting ground for teams that bat second, with nearly two out of every three matches (that’s around 64%) going the way of those chasing totals. The surface here seems to tempt captains into sending their opponents in first, knowing that history favors the chase.

So what is it about this pitch that causes so many reversals? For starters, the average first-innings score sits at about 159—solid but not daunting by T20 standards. Even when Rajasthan Royals stacked up 185 for 5 against Delhi Capitals in match 9 of IPL 2024, it felt a little nervous until the Royals’ bowlers held firm at the end. Despite a healthy total, the defending side only won by 12 runs. This reflects just how the ground keeps things interesting, leaving no room for coasting through a chase or defense.

Batting, Bowling, and Star Performers: Breaking Down the Pitch

Early on, the pitch often holds a bit of moisture. This tends to help seamers get extra zip off the surface during the powerplay, making life tricky for openers hesitant to commit too early. But as the match goes on, the wicket flattens out. Short boundaries further tilt the odds towards aggressive batters who can clear the ropes at will, especially once the new ball shine disappears.

Rajasthan’s Jos Buttler has thrived in these conditions, racking up an impressive average of 44 across 16 innings at the venue. With his attacking style, he turns middling totals into chaseable targets—or, if he’s setting the score, he puts the defenders under real pressure. He loves the horsepower this pitch offers in the latter innings—fielders on the rope know that one misstep and the ball’s flying into the crowd.

But it’s not just a batsman’s playground, especially if you’re up against disciplined spinners and crafty death bowlers. Rajasthan Royals have built their home dominance partly thanks to their late-innings trio, mixing precise yorkers with rippers from their spinners. This makes squeezing runs in the last five overs anything but straightforward. The Delhi Capitals are already feeling the squeeze—Rishabh Pant enters this fixture under the spotlight, struggling to find his timing after a lackluster start to IPL 2024.

• Seamers might get early movement, but their margin for error shrinks rapidly.
• Batsmen grow in confidence as the ball softens and the outfield speeds up.
• Spinners and death overs specialists could tip the balance during crunch moments, especially if batters misread pace and bounce.

Tactics wise, teams winning the toss here almost always opt to bowl first—nobody wants to be caught setting a score against the stats. For the Capitals, the challenge is clear: they’ll need to find a way past Rajasthan’s disciplined attack and somehow keep Jos Buttler off strike, otherwise, the script may play out much as the numbers predict. Sawai Mansingh Stadium keeps things spicy; every misfield, mistimed swing, or clever spell can flip the narrative. The real winners here are always the ones who read the pitch best—and aren’t afraid to chase the game, literally and figuratively.