The one thing that IPL has shown over its 18 years of existence is the teams that do well have well-defined roles for their players.

The corollary obviously is the ones that struggle leaves players in doubt.

The case of Rajasthan Royals and  Shimron Hetmyer is a case in point. The explosive West Indian batter has been a key player. However, his recent performances and team dynamics have sparked discussions about his role and challenges in the tournament. 

The bulky Hetmyer has been known for his aggressive batting and ability to finish games under pressure. In IPL 2025, he has shown glimpses of his potential, including the notable knock of 52 runs off 32 balls against the Gujarat Titans (GT) last night. But his team lost the encounter by a massive margin of 58 runs.

Despite his efforts, RR struggled in its chase of a massive target of 218, highlighting the team's batting struggles up the order. For, such chases need strong opening partnerships. 

So there was very little that Hetmyer could do in the circumstances. He often finds himself batting lower down the order, which limits his ability to build an innings. This role as a finisher puts immense pressure on him to deliver in every game.

The RR batting has shown vulnerabilities, with early dismissals of key players like Yashasvi Jaiswal and Nitish Rana struggling to find consistency. This leaves Hetmyer with the daunting task of rescuing the innings. While Hetmyer has had standout performances, his overall batting average in recent games has been a topic of concern. Fans and analysts have pointed out the need for more reliable and regular contributions.

Hetmyer remains a fan favourite due to his explosive style of play. Social media is abuzz with discussions about his potential and the challenges he faces in the current RR setup. But the role of a finisher carries in it a higher potential for inconsistency. Fans feel that Hetmyer should be given more opportunities to bat higher up the order, allowing him to play a more significant role in shaping the team's innings.

Hetmyer's predicament reflects a larger issue in T20 cricket, where talented players are often pigeonholed into specific roles. This can limit their ability to showcase their full potential. For RR, which is now wallowing in the bottom half of the table with just two wins in five games, optimising Hetmyer's role in the team could be crucial for its success in the rest of the tournament. 

Balancing his responsibilities as a finisher with opportunities to play longer innings might be the key to unlocking his best performances.