Rajasthan Royals‘ IPL 2026 campaign ended one step short of the final, but it was a social media post from former Rajasthan Royals Co-Owner Raj Kundra that quickly became a talking point after the match. Moments after Gujarat Titans eliminated the Royals from the tournament, Kundra took to X with a brief message that prompted widespread discussion among cricket fans and observers.
Reacting to Rajasthan’s exit, Kundra wrote, “Some losses are bigger than the points table. Karma has its own playoffs.”
Some losses are bigger than the points table. Karma has its own playoffs. 😉
— Raj Kundra (@onlyrajkundra) May 29, 2026
The post came after Gujarat Titans secured a seven-wicket victory over Rajasthan Royals in Qualifier 2. Despite a blistering 96 from Vaibhav Sooryavanshi helping Rajasthan post 214-6, Gujarat chased down the target in 18.4 overs to book their place in the IPL 2026 final. Shubman Gill’s century proved decisive as the Titans advanced to the title decider, where they were subsequently beaten by Royal Challengers Bengaluru, who secured back-to-back IPL titles.
Why the post drew attention
While the message itself was open to interpretation, it attracted significant attention because of Kundra’s long and often complicated association with the franchise.
Kundra became a Co-Owner of Rajasthan Royals in 2009 through an 11.7% stake acquired alongside his wife, actor Shilpa Shetty. His involvement with the franchise ended following the 2013 IPL spot-fixing scandal, after which he was banned from cricket-related activities and relinquished his role with the team.
The former Rajasthan Royals Co-Owner has remained linked to the franchise through an ongoing dispute concerning his claimed shareholding and ownership rights, keeping his relationship with the team in the public spotlight long after his departure.
Ownership battle remains unresolved
Kundra has continued to challenge developments involving the franchise’s ownership, arguing that his claimed 11.7% stake was never properly resolved. As previously reported by cricexec, he approached the BCCI and pursued legal avenues in an effort to contest proposed ownership changes involving Rajasthan Royals.
Kundra has maintained that ownership changes should not proceed while questions surrounding his claimed stake remain under challenge.
As previously reported by cricexec, Rajasthan Royals were sold to a US-based consortium led by Kal Somani in a US$1.63 billion transaction. However, the deal ultimately did not proceed.
The franchise was subsequently acquired by a Lakshmi Mittal-led consortium in a US$1.65 billion transaction, with the Mittal family taking a controlling stake in the team. As previously reported by cricexec, Adar Poonawalla retained a significant minority stake following the completion of the deal.
Another painful end to a Royals campaign
The latest defeat added to a growing list of near misses for Rajasthan Royals since their title-winning campaign in the inaugural IPL season in 2008.
The franchise reached the IPL final in 2022 under Sanju Samson before losing to Gujarat Titans, and history repeated itself in 2026 when the same opposition ended Rajasthan’s hopes once again in Qualifier 2 under the leadership of Ritan Parag.
Although the Royals’ season was defined by the emergence of young stars such as Sooryavanshi and a run to the playoffs, Kundra’s post ensured that attention briefly shifted away from the field and back toward one of the IPL’s longest-running ownership stories.
