Inaugural champions of the IPL, the men in pink are yet to taste the highs of 2008. They have had a resurgence in the last cycle, coming agonizingly close in 2022, however in a competitive tournament like the tournament, only the winners are celebrated. With the Wall making his return to the side after a hiatus, let's see if he can carry over his international success to the Rajasthan Royals.
Retentions:
Royals retentions were the talk of the town, since superstar Buttler was released even though 5 other batters were retained. They retained their India core; a smart move whose fruits will become more sweet as time passes on. Along with Jaiswal, Jurel and Parag, Samson’s retention meant there will be no change in the leadership department.
Hetmyer has been one of the most underrated IPL players in this decade and him being retained over Jos, Boult or even Chahal shows how important a finisher’s role is in the IPL market. Rajasthan also made full use of the reinstated uncapped rule, by retaining Sandeep Sharma for just 4 CR.
Auction Picks:
Since Rajasthan came into the auction with the least purse, it is quite self-explanatory that they didn't make any big buys except the one of Jofra Archer for 12.50 Crore. Making his comeback to the IPL, this is also the homecoming of the 2020 MVP. Other than that, they did some steals when it comes to bowling talent, including Tushar Deshpande and Fazalhaq Farooqi. Nitish Rana made his transition from the Knights to the Royals where Lankan Spin duo of Hasaranga-Theekshana will now play under the same banner. And of course, they gathered a lot of attention with their purchase of the 13-YEAR-OLD, Vaibhav Suryavanshi.
Players To Watch Out For:
Overseas:
Shimron Hetmyer: He took his time to gain a foothold in the premier league, but ever since his terrific season with the Capitals in 21’, he has been constantly playing impactful hands for his sides. Although he had a slump last year, only Klaasen and Head have scored at higher average among batters with a strike rate greater than 150 in the above-mentioned period. With Jurel moving up the order, onus is one Hettie to carry on these numbers.
Uncapped:
Sandeep Sharma: Seems odd given that his 2 t20i caps way back in 2015 but if the IPL auction categorised him as an uncapped, then who are we to judge! Once a powerplay phenom, Sandeep seemed lost since the 2021 year, averaging over 50 in the years 2021-23. However, a second chance in 2024 and we saw a revolutionised Sandeep, now someone who bowled predominantly at the death. 13 wickets @23.92, including an economy of 9.7 at the death, bettered by a handful. With Rajasthan mainly investing in the batting, it's up to Sandeep to be the experienced Veteran.
Best XII:
- Y Jaiswal
- S Samson (C & WK)
- R Parag
- N Rana
- D Jurel
- S Hetmyer
- W Hasaranga
- J Archer
- T Deshpande
- S Sharma
- Fazalhaq Farooqi
Impact Player: Shubham Dubey/Kumar Kartikeya
The top 6 is a straightforward choice, with only the position of Jurel being a confusing decision. The team lacks batting depth, hence Shubham Dubey may be given a chance and if his services aren't required, then Kumar Kartikeya may be brought in as the 2nd spinner.
In pitches which are more favourable to the spinners, one could see Theekshana as the Impact Sub and Akash Madhwal replacing Farooqi.
Prediction:
Although the teams batting seems a well settled unit, the lack of a second finisher along with the absence of a proven match-winner with the ball leads me to believe Rajasthan will miss the playoffs, fishing at around the middle of the table.
