IPL 2022 Auction: 3 reasons why Trent Boult might not turn out to be a good buy for RR

Among the marquee set of the 2022 Indian Premier League (IPL) auction, Trent Boult was one of the more understated names. But the Kiwi fetched a decent price after sparking a bidding war involving multiple franchises, with the Rajasthan Royals (RR) snapping up his services for INR 8 crore.

Boult has been involved in the IPL since 2015, having played for teams like the Sunrisers Hyderabad, the Kolkata Knight Riders, the Delhi Capitals and the Mumbai Indians. While he is a proven international performer who had a productive T20 World Cup 2021 campaign with New Zealand, RR might've overspent on the pacer.

Here are three reasons why Boult might not turn out to be a good buy for RR.

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#3 Trent Boult is on the wrong side of 30

New Zealand v Australia - ICC Men's T20 World Cup Final 2021

At 32 years old, Trent Boult has probably overshot his prime as a fast bowler. And while he has stayed injury-free and is one of the sharpest athletes going around right now, INR 8 crore might be a steep price to invest on a pacer in a mega auction, especially since it is uncertain whether the IPL will have more such auctions in the future.

Boult's pace has dropped a bit recently. RR, who previously had younger overseas fast bowlers like Jofra Archer and Mustafizur Rahman, might find it tough to build around the left-armer in the long run. He has only two or three years left at the top level and signing him with an amount usually reserved for a frontline pacer who can lead the attack might not turn out well for Sanju Samson's side.

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#2 Trent Boult is on the back of an indifferent season with MI

IPL Eliminator - Delhi v Sunrisers

After a breakthrough IPL 2020 season in which he scalped 25 wickets at an economy rate of 7.97, Trent Boult established himself as a regular member of the Mumbai Indians (MI). Although he hadn't nailed down a spot for any of his previous franchises, the 32-year-old formed a lethal partnership with Jasprit Bumrah in the powerplay and at the death.

However, Boult's performances dropped off in the 2021 campaign. He picked up only 13 wickets despite playing every group-stage game, and while his economy rate of 7.97 was respectable, he had a series of expensive spells. His struggles reflected those of the team as MI failed to qualify for the playoffs and languished in the lower half of the points table throughout the season.

Boult collected 13 wickets in the 2021 T20 World Cup, but most of his wickets came against lesser opposition. He might not be reliable enough for RR, especially since he has only IPL campaign in which he has recorded more than 15 wickets.

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#1 Trent Boult's T20 bowling could be exposed in the near future

India v New Zealand - T20 International

Does Trent Boult have enough weapons in his arsenal to keep up with the ever-evolving demands of T20 cricket? The New Zealand international swings the ball into the right-hander and has one that holds its line, but his yorker has often deserted him at crucial stages of the innings. And he has never been the best exponent of a slower ball.

Boult is a quality T20 bowler because of his experience and accuracy, but he arguably cannot be the leader of an attack who can be trusted to deliver both with the new ball and at the death. And given the price RR have paid for him, it seems like they trust him to be the spearhead of the bowling contingent.

Boult could still prove critics wrong and come up with a season similar to 2020, but there is certainly a distinct chance of the buy going wrong for RR.