Five positives for Rajasthan Royals after making the IPL Finals

The curtains have been drawn on another memorable campaign for the Indian Premier League (IPL). The top two sides from the league stages battled it out in the final as the Gujarat Titans (GT) defeated the Rajasthan Royals (RR) on May 29 to win the title in their debut season.

While they may have ended the campaign as runners-up, Rajasthan will have plenty of positives to take from this season. Yuzvendra Chahal picked up the Purple Cap this season, and Jos Buttler won the Orange Cap, along with most other individual awards.

In a season which saw them reach the final for the first time in 14 years, we take a brief look at some of the positives for the Rajasthan Royals from this IPL 2022 campaign.

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1) Sanju Samson's fearless captaincy

After finishing second from bottom last season, Sanju Samson nearly led his side to the trophy this season. Not only has he had admirers for his glorious strokeplay, but his leadership skills in the IPL have also caught the eye.

The 27-year old has displayed immense calmness and maturity this season, putting his team ahead of him every time. He has grown into the captaincy role and played an aggressive role for his side with the bat in hand.

Most impressively, RR have been one of the few teams that has consistently utilized just five bowlers in most games throughout this year's IPL. It is one of the tougher strategies to follow in the shortest format. Samson, though, pulled it off without a fuss.

Over time, the Kerala batter has shown he's one of the sharpest minds around who understands what the shortest format is all about. In Samson, the Royals have a long-term leader for their side.

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2) Ashwin's utility in this year's IPL

Coming into the season, there were question marks about the lack of a genuine all-rounder in this RR side. While James Neesham and Daryl Mitchell were viable options, the side backed Ravichandran Ashwin and Riyan Parag to do the job as and when required.

While Parag didn't pull his weight as an all-rounder, Ashwin certainly did. The think tank utilized the 35-year old's skills with the bat by sending him in the right phases, mostly during powerplay.

Not only did this lengthen their batting order, Ashwin playing the aggressor allowed the set-batters to play for the long haul. He enjoyed his most productive season with the bat, scoring 191 runs at a strike rate of 141.48. Not to forget, his tactical masterclass to retire out against the Lucknow Super Giants, which became a huge talking point during the season.

With the ball as well, the off-spinner played the perfect second fiddle to Yuzvendra Chahal, bagging 12 wickets at an economy rate of 7.51 throughout IPL 2022.

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2) The spin twins

The spin duo of Ashwin and Yuzvendra Chahal have been a massive part of the Rajasthan Royals' success this season. While Ashwin played a supporting role seamlessly, Chahal was back to his best as he led the wicket-taking charts this season.

The former Royal Challengers Bangalore leggie bagged 27 wickets in the season at a strike rate of 15.11 and an economy rate of 7.75. Highly impressive numbers for a leg-spinner who was trusted to bowl at the backend of most innings. In fact, he now holds the record for the most wickets by a spinner in an IPL season (27).

His memorable hat-trick against the Kolkata Knight Riders was the highlight of his season. The Royals acquired the pair for a combined price of ₹11.5 crore at the auction, doing shrewed business along the way. The combined economy rate for the duo this season is under 8.5, proving just how valuable they were for their side.

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4) West Indians at the death

Shimron Hetmyer's stock as one of the most clinical finishers in the shortest format continues to rise. The southpaw from Guyana enjoyed a prolific season as a finisher, scoring 314 runs at a strike rate of 153.92.

His ability to provide a big finish wasn't a surprise to anyone, but Hetmyer did extremely well to make up for the lack of a genuine all-rounder in the RR side. On several occasions, the 25-year old showcased his ability to play long innings and prove that he's not a one trick pony.

While Hetmyer was a key part of the jigsaw with his ability to finish at the death, Obed McCoy was an unlikely positive for the Rajasthan Royals in this IPL. The left-arm seamer was a handful with a few variations up his sleeve, proving to be a much-needed viable death bowling option for his captain.

McCoy bagged 11 wickets in seven matches this season, with an economy rate of 8.54 at the death. With Trent Boult and Prasidh Krishna usually bowling three overs up front, the West Indian did most of the heavy lifting in the death overs, proving to be a significant positive for his side this season.

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5) A Royal Indian core

Having an excellent Indian core is one of the most difficult parts of the IPL auction for most sides. However, the Rajasthan Royals have managed to tick that box alright. We've already spoken about Samson's leadership abilities, while the likes of Ashwin and Chahal provide some experience in the middle.

One of the most noticeable positives has been the performances of Yashasvi Jaiswal at the top of the order, who responded strongly after losing his place in the side. Devdutt Padikkal has blown hot and cold this season, but he, too, comes with immense potential and a point to prove, as does Riyan Parag.

On the bowling front, Prasidh Krishna has had no problems adjusting to life as the lead seamer for his franchise. Kuldeep Sen's performances that impressed one and all.

All things considered, the Royals have ensured that they are well prepared for this cycle of the IPL. If they plug a few obvious holes, they could build a dangerous side for years to come.