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Rajasthan Royals (RR) were the Indian Premier League (IPL) team worst affected by injuries this season, losing as many as four of their key foreign players. Among them was star all-rounder Ben Stokes, who was forced to undergo surgery after suffering a broken finger early on in the competition.
Although the resumption of the IPL in September means some of those players have a chance to recover and rejoin the RR squad, Stokes is quite unlikely to do so. The Englishman took a break from the ongoing five-match Test series against India citing mental health concerns and expressed uncertainty about returning to the second half of the IPL in the UAE.
If Stokes indeed no longer plays a part in IPL 2021, the RR will have the option of seeking a replacement player for him. Here are five players who could act as his replacement.
#5 Alex Hales
Although he continues to remain out of contention for England selection, Alex Hales has put in commendable performances in the Big Bash League and The Hundred. In the absence of Stokes and potentially Jos Buttler, RR desperately need a batsman capable of bringing out the big hits consistently, and Hales might be the answer for that.
Hales does not have the IPL numbers that demand selection - his six-game stint in IPL 2018 for the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) fetched him 148 runs at an unremarkable strike rate of 125. However, he has shown good form playing for the Trent Rockets in The Hundred, and RR would not want to miss out on his services.
#4 Marnus Labuschagne
Yet to turn out for Australia in the shortest format, Marnus Labuschagne is a reliable performer in the Test and ODI arena, and was also in good form while playing for the Brisbane Heat in the Big Bash League. Labuschagne even played a role with the ball, picking up two consecutive three-wicket hauls.
Despite these skills, Labuschagne was not signed by any IPL team at the 2021 auction. Although RR truly have no dearth of leg-spinning all-rounders, the addition of Labuschagne as a top-order batsman will give them some much-needed boost and take the pressure off Sanju Samson.
#3 Matthew Wade
Although the Matthew Wade-led Australian team were humiliated in Bangladesh recently, RR might want to target the southpaw as a top-order batsman. If Jos Buttler is absent from the side, Wade could also play as a wicketkeeper-batter if Sanju Samson wants to pass on the gloves. The Australian brings along a wealth of experience and will only add to the support young Samson can draw from his captaincy.
Having played - albeit a bit unsuccessfully - on turning pitches, Wade will not require much acclimatization when it comes to the likely slow pitches that the UAE has to offer. One of the certainties for the upcoming T20 World Cup, RR can tap into Wade's skills in their bid to bounce back in IPL 2021.
#2 Carlos Brathwaite
Carlos Brathwaite is no new face in the IPL, having represented Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals), Sunrisers Hyderabad and Kolkata Knight Riders in the past. In the absence of Stokes, Brathwaite could act as a like-for-like replacement, although RR would give him more of a role with the ball than was expected from the Englishman. Brathwaite has led the Windies in the past and is a smart all-rounder with high value in the shortest format of the game.
Given Chris Morris' inconsistency with the bat, it would help RR to have someone else who can hit from ball one and clear the ropes. Four overs of Brathwaite's medium pace can also be utilized by RR in the middle and death overs, a phase of the game where they have leaked runs as a team.
#1 Devon Conway
A shock exclusion at the IPL 2021 Auction, Devon Conway went about his business and made a brilliant start to his Test career in addition to continuing his good work in other formats. As of today, the 30-year-old New Zealand international is the third-ranked T20I batter in the world, averaging nearly 60 in T20Is and above 60 in the longer forms of the game.
Given their overseas player exodus, the RR are desperate for someone to anchor their batting and consistently carry the team to strong totals, the way Jos Buttler did in IPL 2018. Conway can fill the top order vacuum left behind by Buttler and allow the team to build momentum at the business end of the IPL.
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