IPL 2022: Despite ticking all boxes, Rajasthan Royals leave themselves a small headache
As the Sanju Samson-led Royals are set for yet another enthralling episode, here is a SWOT analysis of the team...
If there is one thing Rajasthan Royals will look to set a tone in this edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) it will be rewriting history. Yes, the franchise did emerge victorious in the inaugural season of the tournament, but ever since they have hardly made any impact. And if we look back at the previous three seasons, their performance has been underwhelming, with the franchise either finishing last or second last on the points table.
However, with a lot of fresh artilleries added in their arsenal in the mega auctions last month, the team look promising on both fronts - bowling and batting. However, one area that doesn't flaunt equal firepower and well could possibly prove to be a decisive factor in their campaign, is the lack of a world-class all-rounder who could fill in the boots of Ben Stokes.
As the Sanju Samson-led Royals are set for yet another enthralling episode, here is a SWOT analysis of the team...
Strength
Unlike the previous editions Rajasthan Royals bowling line-up looks promising with both talent and experience in abundance. The spin department will be spearheaded by R Ashwin and Yuzvendra Chahal; the presence of Kiwi speedster Trent Boult bolsters the pace battery, which also have Prasidh Krishna and Navdeep Saini in their ranks. Too add more flavour, the franchise have roped Sri Lanka great and death bowling specialist Lasith Malinga as their fast bowling coach.
Weakness
The franchise also have all-round options in abundance but the names present would hardly sound tempting if you're a Royals fan. Yes there is the dynamic Kiwi duo Jimmy Neesham and Daryl Mitchell but records on the paper tell otherwise.
The lack off such talent will also have some impact in deciding the fifth bowling option, adding pressure on the captain and other senior bowlers.
Opportunities
It has been a torrid time for Riyan Parag, who has not been a fan favourite despite his Bihu moves. We often see the youngster get criticised on the internet and maybe the lack of a promising all-round spinner with batting abilities work in his favour. Parag, too, would be eagerly waiting for this opportunity and look to payback the faith the franchise have shown in the 20-year-old.
The same applies for out-of-favour Team India pacer Navdeep Saini, who would look to draw some interest towards himself with his performance and force the selectors to make some final tweaks in India's T20 setup, which will be travelling to Australia for the World Cup later this year.
Speaking about his aspirations, the Karnal Express said: “I am most looking forward to connecting with Trent Boult during the IPL. He is someone who has achieved so much in both international and IPL cricket, and it’ll be a great experience to just speak to him about various aspects of fast bowling."
"I’ll be most focused on observing him go about his business, and hopefully, that should also help in improving my own game.”
Threat
If one thing other teams should worry about Rajasthan Royals is their star studded batting line-up. The team boast of some of the fiercest T20 batters (Sanju Samson, Jos Buttler, Devdutt Padikkal, Shimron Hetmyer), who can change the complex of the game from any given moment as witnessed in the previous seasons.
Rajasthan Royals (RR) Squad:
Sanju Samson, Jos Buttler, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ravichandran Ashwin, Trent Boult, Shimron Hetmyer, Devdut Padikkal, Prasidh Krishna, Yuzvendra Chahal, Riyan Parag, KC Cariappa, Navdeep Saini, Obed McCoy, Anunay Singh, Kuldeep Sen, Karun Nair, Dhruv Jurel, Tejas Baroka, Kuldip Yadav, Shubham Gharwal, James Neesham, Nathan Coulter Nile, Rassie van der Dussen, Daryl Mitchell
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