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The Rajasthan Royals (RR) had their worst-ever campaign in the Indian Premier League (IPL) last year as they finished with the wooden spoon.
RR come into the 2021 IPL having made a number of bold moves. They released their captain from last year Steve Smith, and handed the reins of the team to 26-year-old Sanju Samson.
RR pulled off the most expensive purchase in the history of the IPL auction Chris Morris, and acquired all-rounder Shivam Dube as well as former players Liam Livingstone and Akash Singh. They also signed Mustafizur Rahman and Indian talents Chetan Sakariya, KC Cariappa and Kuldip Yadav.
RR's predicted playing XI for IPL 2021
This year's IPL is still months away, but we attempt to predict what RR's ideal playing XI will look like.
RR's squad for IPL 2021: Sanju Samson, Ben Stokes, Jofra Archer, Jos Buttler, Mahipal Lomror, Manan Vohra, Mayank Markande, Rahul Tewatia, Riyan Parag, Shreyas Gopal, Jaydev Unadkat, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Anuj Rawat, Kartik Tyagi, David Miller, Andrew Tye, Chris Morris, Shivam Dube, Mustafizur Rahman, Chetan Sakariya, K C Cariappa, Liam Livingstone, Kuldip Yadav and Akash Singh
Openers: Jos Buttler (wk), Yashasvi Jaiswal
After Ben Stokes joined the RR squad during IPL 2020, the opening combination didn't have a settled look to it. The team management opted to use Stokes at the top of the order, with either Steve Smith or Robin Uthappa partnering him. Both Smith and Uthappa are now not part of the squad, making this decision easier for RR.
Jos Buttler made an impact batting in the middle order in a few games, but there's no denying that his best position is as an opener. He should be partnered by young Yashasvi Jaiswal, who was unable to make an impact in his debut IPL campaign. Buttler is expected to don the gloves, allowing Samson to focus on his batting and captaincy.
This left-right combination seems to be the perfect blend of youth and experience, and RR will do well to give these players a good run of games.
Middle Order: Sanju Samson (c), Ben Stokes, Riyan Parag
Newly appointed captain Sanju Samson should continue to bat at No. 3 for RR in IPL 2021. The Kerala-born batsman has the full backing of the RR support staff, but he has a real task on his hands to help the team qualify for the playoffs in his first season at the helm.
It remains to be seen how captaincy affects Samson's batting. He is a player who has never been afraid to play his shots, and he has come under immense criticism for the same. No longer part of the Indian T20 squad, Samson will have to be adept at shutting out all external noise and backing his strengths.
RR have players who can roll their arm over starting from No. 4. Although RR Director of Cricket Kumar Sangakkara said Ben Stokes won't bowl much in IPL 2021 in order to prevent burnout, the Englishman is the first in a long line of all-rounders.
Following Stokes will be young Riyan Parag, who was decent with the bat in a couple of games last year but didn't get to bowl much. The youngster will be RR's third spin option, but his main role will be in the batting department. He'll want to translate his obvious potential into a couple of match-winning performances.
All-rounders: Shivam Dube, Rahul Tewatia, Chris Morris
RR's hero of IPL 2020 Rahul Tewatia will be flanked by pace-bowling all-rounders Chris Morris and Shivam Dube on either side in the batting lineup. Tewatia recently earned his first call-up to the Indian team for the England T20I series, and he'll likely come into this year's IPL with a lot of confidence.
Dube and Morris, who were signed for a combined sum of over INR 20 crores, will be keen on contributing in both departments for RR. While Dube shouldn't be needed with the ball too often, the South African will need to give Jofra Archer some much-needed support.
Morris and Dube don't play international cricket anymore, and they might take a few games to get used to the demands of the IPL.
Bowlers: Jofra Archer, Shreyas Gopal, Kartik Tyagi
With pace-bowling all-rounders Dube, Stokes and Morris in the team, and Kartik Tyagi alongside him, Jofra Archer will breathe a sigh of relief. The Englishman single-handedly carried the RR bowling attack last year, and he'll welcome the support. He still remains the talisman and key wicket-taker, though.
Tyagi showed a lot of promise with his yorkers and aggression in IPL 2020, and he'll look to plump up the wickets column this year. The young fast bowler has immense potential, and RR is the right team to channelize it.
Shreyas Gopal had an indifferent campaign last season, but he is still the team's lead spinner. The leggie's googlies and speed through the air will trouble the best of batsmen in the subcontinent, and he may even score a few handy runs with the bat.
RR's predicted playing XI for IPL 2021: Jos Buttler (wk), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sanju Samson (c), Ben Stokes, Shivam Dube, Rahul Tewatia, Riyan Parag, Chris Morris, Jofra Archer, Shreyas Gopal, Kartik Tyagi
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