IPL 2022 Auction: 3 underrated marquee players Rajasthan Royals should target

Rajasthan Royals have retained three players - skipper Sanju Samson, Jos Buttler and Yashasvi Jaiswal - ahead of the upcoming 2022 Mega IPL auction. The inaugural IPL winners finished seventh among eight teams, having won five out of their 14 league matches last season.

With a whopping ₹ 62 crores left in their purse, the Rajasthan Royals will be looking to build a formidable squad this time. The 2022 IPL auction is just a few days away. Ahead of the auction, BCCI has released a list of 10 marquee players who will be up for grabs with a base price of ₹ 2 crores.

On that note, let's look at three underrated players from the marquee list whom the Rajasthan Royals should target at auction.

---

3) Trent Boult

Trent Boult is yet to receive the much-deserved lucrative contact in IPL given his consistency, pace and disciplined bowling

Trent Boult was transferred from Delhi Capitals to Mumbai Indians for ₹ 3.2 crores during the trade window ahead of season 13. He ended up as the third-highest wicket taker in that edition with 25 wickets to his name. This includes a Man of the Match performance (3/30) in the final in Dubai against his former franchise, the Delhi Capitals.

The Kiwi speedster, who was retained by Mumbai ahead of season 14, will be going under the hammer at the 2022 IPL auction.

The 32-year-old was top-class at the 2021 ICC Men's T20 World Cup for New Zealand. He ended up as the joint second highest wicket-taker with 13 scalps to his name with Adam Zampa.

Several pacers like Sheldon Cottrell, Pat Cummins, Riley Meredith, Jhye Richardson and Kyle Jamieson have acquired lucrative contracts in the last two seasons. However, Boult is yet to receive the price tag he deserves at the IPL auction given his bowling credentials.

Barring Jofra Archer, the Rajasthan Royals are yet to find an ideal overseas pacer who can perform consistently for them.

Mustafizur Rahman (14 wickets) and Chris Morris (15 wickets) stepped-up in Archer's absence during the last edition. But it's high-time for the franchise to find an ideal overseas pacer who could deliver consistently, having already released the injury-prone Archer and Mustafizur.

Boult has a great ability to torment batters with his pace, disciplined bowling and consistency. Hence, he might be the ideal candidate to fill-in the all-important overseas bowler slot for the Rajasthan Royals.

---

2) Faf du Plessis

Faf du Plessis can not just open the innings but also play an anchoring role to perfection

Post CSK's comeback to the league in 2018 after a two-year hiatus, the franchise has won two titles in four seasons. Faf du Plessis has proved as to why he is a 'big-match player' on both occasions.

In Qualifier 1 during the 2018 IPL against Sunrisers Hyderabad, he helped CSK reach the summit clash despite the team struggling on 92-7 at one stage.

In the 2021 IPL final against the Kolkata Knight Riders, his Man of the Match-winning 86 off 59 balls changed the dynamics of the game. He helped MS Dhoni's men post a huge total of 192 runs which they eventually defended, thereby claiming their fourth IPL title.

At 37, he has proved that age is not a factor. He was last season's second-highest run-getter, just two runs short (633 runs) of Orange Cap winner Ruturaj Gaikwad's tally.

Even in the ongoing Bangladesh Premier League, the former Protea skipper made his mark. He scored a match-winning 83* off 55 balls having walked on to the crease during the second over when the team were on 4/1.

The Royals have tried Heinrich Klaasen, Liam Livingstone, Ashton Turner and David Miller as batters. But they need a reliable middle-order overseas batter who can lend strength and stabilize the middle order.

Given his flexibility with the batting slot, du Plessis can not only open the innings but also play an anchoring role as well. Hence, he can be the perfect candidate to reinforce Rajasthan Royals' beleaguered middle-order.

The Pretoria-born player deserves a lucrative contract at the upcoming 2022 IPL auction.

---

3) Shikhar Dhawan

Shikhar Dhawan might provide the much needed firepower for Rajasthan Royals at the top of the order

Shikhar Dhawan was India's highest run-getter in the recently concluded three-match ODI series against South Africa with 169 runs to his name. The southpaw is a clean hitter of the ball and is a delight to watch when he is in full flow with the willow.

The 36-year-old is just eight games short of featuring in 200 matches in the lucrative league. He has so far amassed 5783 runs, including two centuries. Dhawan is a perfect top-order batter who can provide a much-needed start to an innings.

Rajasthan Royals have retained opener Yashasvi Jaiswal ahead of season 15. But they must go for Dhawan, given his immense international and league experience.

Jos Buttler opening alongside Dhawan might be the best combination for Rajasthan, with the talented 20-year-old Jaiswal coming in at number three.

Meanwhile, Rajasthan Royals' Director of Cricket Kumar Sangakkara would also love to have a player of Dhawan's caliber. They have both played together at Sunrisers Hyderabad in the past.