Former India leg-spinner Piyush Chawla wants Rajasthan Royals (RR) to select experienced pacer Sandeep Sharma ahead of Tushar Deshpande for the IPL 2026 match against Punjab Kings (PBKS). Chawla supported Brijesh Sharma to retain his place in the team ahead of Deshpande as well.

RR will take on PBKS at Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur on Tuesday, April 28. RR have 10 points from eight games, whereas PBKS have 13 points from seven matches as well.

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During a discussion on ESPNcricinfo Timeout, Chawla said: “Sandeep Sharma [should be] back in for sure instead of Brijesh or Tushar. Rest everything is okay because they have been doing well overall. If you see their bowling, it has done a decent job for them and middle order, I don’t think so you need any changes. You have to persist with the same batting order. Their openers are doing a really good job for them, so just one change. I would like to see Sandeep Sharma coming in in place of maybe Tushar because Brijesh has done well for a first-season bowler.”

During the same discussion, former West Indies pace bowler Ian Bishop backed Jofra Archer to be the important man for RR with the ball in the powerplay yet again. Praising the England pace bowler, he said that the other bowlers need to step up in case Archer has an off day.

Bishop said: “I expect Jofra Archer to be a difference maker in the powerplay, if he’s as motivated and in as good a rhythm as we saw him against Sunrisers. He was just like so far above everyone else. If that doesn’t work, then you’re gonna have to get more out of a Ravi Bishnoi or a Jadeja. The other guys have to fill in because I thought that was the disappointing thing last match. The other guys did not step up in the way they should have.”