Ben Stokes quarantine to end on Saturday; but Smith non-committal about all-rounder's return to playing 11

In the latest setback, Rajasthan Royals were drubbed by Delhi Capitals by 46 runs

Sharjah, October 10: Rajasthan Royals crashed to their fourth straight defeat when Delhi Capitals hammered them by 46 runs on Friday (October 9). The Royals are now pushed down to 7th in the table with 4 points from 6 matches.

The Royals are fans are eagerly awaiting the return of all-rounder Ben Stokes, who have arrived in UAE last Sunday. But Royals captain Steve Smith remained non-committal about the England cricketer's return to the playing XI.

Stokes is currently undergoing a six-day mandatory quarantine period as part of the Covid 19 protocol in the Emirates. "Ben Stokes comes out of quarantine on Saturday, and we play day after. He hasn't had any practice. So, we will need to have a chat around that," said Smith. Stokes was in Christchurch, New Zealand, to attend to his ailing father.

The Royals are playing Sunrisers Hyderabad on Sunday (October 11) in a day match.

On the Friday's defeat against the Delhi Capitals said the team was not playing good cricket for a longer period. "We are not playing good enough over the full 40 overs. We are doing some good things in patches, but unfortunately not executing well under pressure. I think we gave a few away in the end. The wicket was not as good as it has been. It was stopping a little. We gave away 10-15 too many," said Smith.