Royal Return For Rajasthan?

New Delhi: The secret to do well in IPL is having a good Indian players in the side and that’s what Rajasthan Royals showcased under Sanju Samson’s leadership in IPL last year when for the first time in the inaugural edition they managed to reach the final of IPL. Even though they were unable to bag the title to give a fitting tribute to Shane Warne, they showed a lot of promise, and this year could finally be year, where RR fans wait for second IPL title can come to an end.

The presence of Jos Buttler, who bossed the season with the bat last year and scored 863 runs is RR’s biggest strength and if one adds the likes of in-form Yashasvi Jaiswal, Devdutt Padikkal, skipper Sanju Samson, power-hitter Shimron Hetymer and new addition Jason Holder, in it, then it becomes even more scary.

RR bowling complements their batters well and the presence of R Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal and Trent Boult make them look an overall balanced unit.

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Having Riyan Parag in the ranks and the addition of experienced Joe Root and Adam Zampa only adds to Royals’ strength and the team has all the ingredients which can make them a champion side this year.

But the game of cricket is not won or lost in papers, it is played on the field and the needs to sort their death bowling issues before the start of the cash-rich league. The absence of Prasidh Krishna is a big blow to their chances as because he was team’s go to bowler at death but in his absence the onus will now be on young Kuldeep Sen, Obed McCoy, along with Boult and Holder.

Last year’s purple cap winner Yuzvendra Chahal will also have a point to prove this year and his chances of making it to the India’s squad for the 2023 ODI World Cup depends on how he performs in this IPL.

And not only of Chahal, but skipper Sanju Samson’s dream of representing India in World Cup will also face a stern test. With Rishabh Pant out of action for an indefinite period, India need a specialist wicketkeeper-batter and if Sanju Samson can produce a superb show with the bat this year then he can claim his spot.

But overall, if we look at RR as a unit, the team is fairly balanced and has all the ingredients that a champion side posses.