Steve Smith is calling for his Rajasthan Royals side to regroup ahead of their encounter with defending IPL champions Mumbai Indians in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday.
Rajasthan made the early running this season with two rousing wins in Sharjah in their opening two matches.
They have twice tasted defeat since, though, and were comprehensively beaten by Royal Challengers Bangalore at the Zayed Cricket Stadium last time out.
While their performances have dropped off, they have at least had good news off the field, with the arrival in Dubai of Ben Stokes.
The England all-rounder will not be available for the game against Mumbai as he completes his quarantine after travelling from New Zealand, where he had been on compassionate leave with his family.
Whether he is rushed backed into the side as soon as he is available is questionable, too.
Stokes has not played since August 5, and he has scarcely trained since then, either.
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Bangalore v Rajasthan ratings
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ROYAL CHALLENGERS BANGALORE RATINGS: Devdutt Padikkal – 8. Another highly promising effort. His 63 in 45 balls assured victory for his side. Sportzpics for BCCI -
Aaron Finch – 6. Meant business with two fours at the start of the innings, and might have felt he had survived an lbw shout from Gopal, only to be condemned on review. Sportzpics for BCCI -
Virat Kohli – 8. After three false starts, the RCB captain finally had some proper time in the middle, as he made a half-century. Sportzpics for BCCI -
AB de Villiers – 7. Unfussy with the gloves despite the high temperature of the first afternoon start, and did what he needed to when he got to the wicket with the game won. Sportzpics for BCCI -
Gurkeerat Singh – 5. Two matches in the tournament so far, and for the second time he did not get to do anything. AFP -
Shivam Dube – 6. Not needed with the bat, but yet again he was thrifty with the ball – albeit just for one over. Sportzpics for BCCI -
Isuru Udana – 6. Another mixed bag with the ball as he leaked runs, but took two important wickets and held a good catch. Sportzpics for BCCI -
Washington Sundar – 8. After a slow start to this IPL he has really found his range. Just the 20 off his four overs this time around. Sportzpics for BCCI -
Navdeep Saini – 7. Started brilliantly, picking up Buttler in a wicket-maiden, but had a tough finish, including a gruesome beamer to Tewatia. Sportzpics for BCCI -
Yuzvendra Chahal – 9. Dismissed Samson with his first ball, and Uthappa with the first ball of his second over. Ended with three for 24. Sportzpics for BCCI -
Adam Zampa – 5. Expensive, as he went at nine per over, so he was not given all four overs in his quota. Sportzpics for BCCI -
RAJASTHAN ROYALS RATINGS: Jos Buttler – 6. He was striking the ball with typical crispness before he edged Saini’s first ball to Padikkal at slip for 22 off 12. Sportzpics for BCCI -
Steve Smith – 3. Dragged on to an Isuru Udana slower ball having earlier been beaten by a classic inswinger by the same bowler. Sportzpics for BCCI -
Sanju Samson – 4. Stroked a glorious off-drive from the first ball he faced, only to fall caught and bowled to the first he received from Chahal. Sportzpics for BCCI -
Robin Uthappa – 4. Really had the chance to prove his worth to Rajasthan, but gave it away having reached 17 off 22 balls. Sportzpics for BCCI -
Mahipal Lomror – 7. Knitted together the rescue effort with 47 from 39 balls on his first appearance of the season. Sportzpics for BCCI -
Riyan Parag – 5. At least he had some time in the middle, having made an aggregate of seven from his previous three innings. But 16 from 18 balls was still a struggle. Sportzpics for BCCI -
Rahul Tewatia – 7. Suffered a fearful blow when hit on the chest by a 140kph beamer from Saini – only to hit the next two balls for six. Four overs for 28 with the ball. Sportzpics for BCCI -
Jofra Archer – 7. Visibly frustrated with his fielders, as they let simple balls past and did not go full bore for others. One for 18, and another decent cameo with the bat. Sportzpics for BCCI -
Shreyas Gopal – 7. Picked up the wicket of Finch, and four overs for 27 was tidy enough, but RCB were able to milk him given the small total. Sportzpics for BCCI -
Tom Curran – 5. None for 36 off three, as his economy rate remains a worry. It seemed as though it was getting to him this time, too. Sportzpics for BCCI -
Jaydev Unadkat – 5. Must be sweating on his place in the side now. Just one wicket in four matches, and an alarming economy rate, too. Sportzpics for BCCI
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Smith, Rajasthan’s captain, is focused on them turning around their form as soon as possible.
“The last two games haven’t gone to plan for us after what was a really good start to the tournament,” Smith said.
“But I guess that’s the way T20 cricket goes sometimes. We haven’t played our best games in our last two and have been outplayed by the opposition on both occasions.
“It’s about regrouping and moving forward now, trying to get better and get some wins on the board in the coming games.”
Rajasthan’s dip has coincided with Smith missing out on runs twice.
He made half-centuries in each of their wins, and single figure scores in the two losses.
“I’ve missed out on the last two games but that happens,” Smith said.
“We’ll see which of our players fit in our plans for tomorrow’s match and fit in certain scenarios in the game, and try and get the best match-ups for Mumbai.”
The fixture pits represents Mumbai’s quickest turnaround of the competition so far. They played Sunrisers Hyderabad on Sunday afternoon, and won easily in Sharjah.
“We are used to this travelling,” Krunal Pandya, the Mumbai all-rounder, said.
“We will have a rest day and then the boys will be ready to go again.”
