The inaugural champions, Rajasthan Royals, have been a consistent franchise, qualifying for the playoffs twice in the last three years and reaching the finals. However, the biggest surprise of their retention strategy was releasing key players such as Jos Buttler, Trent Boult, and Yuzvendra Chahal before the auction.
Rajasthan Royals relied heavily on their Indian core, retaining Sanju Samson, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Riyan Parag. They also kept young batter Dhruv Jurel, who impressed last year, and experienced pacer Sandeep Sharma. Shimron Hetmyer was the only foreign player they retained.
Their batting lacks depth, with a big Buttler-sized hole. They tried to fill it by signing players like Nitish Rana and 13-year-old Vaibhav Suryawanshi. Following last year’s trend of batting-friendly matches, they retained most of their core Indian batters. The team can use Shubham Dube as an impact sub, while Riyanand Wanindu Hasaranga can take on the all-rounder role if needed.
RR faced a challenge after releasing Ravichandran Ashwin and Yuzvendra Chahal. They tried to replace them with the Sri Lankan duo of Wanindu Hasaranga and Maheesh Theekshana, along with Indian spinner Kumar Kartikeya. In the fast bowling department, Jofra Archer will lead the attack, supported by Tushar Deshpande, Akash Madhwal, and Fazalhaq Farooqi. Only time will tell if they can maintain their strong performance from the last three seasons.
Weakness that could prove costly in Rajasthan Royals’ title-chasing dreams
RR’s star bowler Jofra Archer has been injury-prone for the past few years. He didn’t play the last season because of the exact reason. If he gets injured in a crunch situation, then their season might get derailed. Moreover, his recent form against India in T20 won’t give the Royals much confidence either.
The inaugural champions have made a significant mistake by letting go of players like Buttler, Chahal, and Boult. It will be challenging for new acquisitions to fill such a big void this season. If they manage to perform consistently, then the Royals could dream of securing a playoff spot.
Lacking a proper big hitter or finisher could hurt RR badly. While the Royals’ top six are world-class, there is no one at the 7th or 8th spot capable of finishing big. The team will need their top order to stay in consistent form throughout the season.
