IPL 2021: Rajasthan Royals players who starred and flopped so far

The Sanju Samson-led Rajasthan Royals had a topsy-turvy start to their IPL 2021 campaign before the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic halted the season midway. Though a strong team on paper, the men in pink were hampered by back-to-back injuries. They currently lie fifth in the points table with three wins from seven games.

The cash-rich tournament is all set to return next month. As cricket fans wait for action to recommence, the teams have already begun making their way to the UAE to set up training camps.

While we await the season’s resumption, here's a look at three Rajasthan Royals players who starred and two who have flopped so far:

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Players who starred for Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2021

#1 Chetan Sakariya

Chetan Sakariya's rise has been inspiring to witness

A relatively unknown name before the start of IPL 2021, Chetan Sakariya's story is truly what dreams are made of. Hailing from a modest background, he was bought by Rajasthan Royals for a whopping INR 1.2 crore.

Replacing Karthik Tyagi as a pacer, Sakariya immediately made his mark by picking up wickets regularly and bowling economically. He bagged seven crucial scalps for Rajasthan in the seven games that he featured in.

#2 Chris Morris

Chris Morris has been one of the best performers for RR in IPL 2021

At INR 16.25 crore, Chris Morris was the most expensive buy at the IPL 2021 auction. Not surprisingly, there were massive expectations from the South African all-rounder.

While more often than not, players fail to live up to their hefty price tags, Morris showed exactly why he was worth every penny to the Rajasthan Royals.

The 34-year-old took 14 wickets in seven games and scored 48 runs at a strike rate of 154.83. The highlight of his season so far came in their sixth match, when he single-handedly changed the course of the game against Delhi Capitals. Morris smashed an 18-ball score of 36 to help his side win by three wickets.

#3 Sanju Samson

Sanju Samson in action for Rajasthan Royals.

Despite being largely inconsistent with his performances, Sanju Samson is an indispensable asset for Rajasthan Royals. After being appointed captain of the team, Samson had a lot to prove on every front to make a strong case for himself.

The champion batsman from Kerala scored 277 runs in the seven games he featured in. This includes a blistering 63-ball 119 against Punjab Kings.

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Players who flopped for Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2021

#1 Rahul Tewatia

Rahul Tewatia has failed to replicate his IPL 2020 form.

Rahul Tewatia is perhaps best known for some of his heroics in IPL 2020. Consequently, the spin-bowling all-rounder came to IPL 2021 with high expectations on his shoulders but was unable to live up to them.

Tewatia featured in all seven games for Rajasthan Royals and scored a meager 86 runs while playing down the order. Although his batting was satisfactory, his bowling performance was what would have disappointed the RR camp the most.

The 28-year-old bowled a total of 20 overs across seven games and managed to pick up just two wickets. Moreover, the spinner kept giving away runs and bowled at an economy rate of 9.75.

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#2 Shivam Dube

Shivam Dube has underperformed

After being axed from Royal Challengers Bangalore post-IPL 2020, Shivam Dube found a new home with Rajasthan Royals. They bought the all-rounder's services for a massive INR 4.40 crore and expected him to deliver the goods, but he failed to do so.

BREAKING🚨 : Rajasthan Royals to release Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shivam Dube from their squad. Both players have been included in the 14-men Mumbai squad, which will tour Oman to play three T20s and as many ODIs.#RajasthanRoyals #IPL2021 #Cricket #IPL #ShivamDube #IPLnews pic.twitter.com/IMGcTt9gIz

— Crisilin Babu (@Crisilin_Tweet) August 19, 2021

Dube played in six out of seven games for the Royals and scored only 145 runs. More crucially, he wasn't able to perform when his team needed him the most.

The 28-year-old also bowled a meager three overs across the six games he played, taking no wickets and leaking runs at an economy rate of 10.33.