Rajasthan Royals (RR) – IPL 2021

1. RR’s roster does ooze of flexibility, even if it does come at a cost of being monotonous. Having the ability to run horses for courses can be an added advantage when teams are subject to be exposed to a variety of pitches on the same ground.
2. If Delhi and Kolkata do turn out to be their usual slow and turning kind, (RR play a total of 5 games at these venues), RR’s strong spin department will come into the picture.
3. RR is all about their “experienced youngsters”, which is a quality one would like to have in a fast-evolving format and tournament.

1. There is a lack of dependency on the lower-middle order, as the template is that of a top-heavy batting lineup. Having and taking momentum into the 2nd innings (in case of batting first), or chasing with the luxury of being able to depend on the middle order is often under-rated. This is also why I think Ben Stokes can/should NOT open the innings.
2. Archer’s absence, albeit for a few games, has left the death bowling even more hollow. Morris’s presence is a mere attempt to fix that hole, it is in no way a guarantee. RR could definitely have done something better here.

1. A new captain always has plenty of new opportunities waiting on the horizon of a new season. By no means is Sanju Samson on the the priority list for India’s next captain, which perhaps is a good thing as there will be that many fewer eyes on him. This provides him an excellent opportunity to do what he wants to do without garnering much attention or worrying about judgements.
2. In the absence of Jofra Archer, if Mustafizur Rahman does find himself in the playing XI, that would be an excellent opportunity for him to catapult himself back on the T20 franchisee radar. He has not been able to come anywhere close to his performances during his breakthrough season in 2016. The stakes increase more if one is to consider the mega auction next year where he could attract interest from teams.
3. This one is more of a hope, rather than observation. I do hope Manan Vohra is given (more) opportunities at the top of the order. His recent form with the bat begs to be leveraged, and an opening partnership with Buttler (which also allows Ben Stokes to strengthen the middle-order) looks exciting.

1. Ok, let’s get direct for a moment, with nothing personal against the player. Jaydev Unadkat should not be given preference in the playing XI. He is the biggest threat to RR I can see.
2. Monotonous spin and fast bowling options. All spinners in the RR roster are leg break bowlers (baring Mahipal Lomror), and there are as many as 5 left-arm bowling options in the specialist bowlers.
3. There is a threat of Jofra Archer’s integration into the team not being smooth, if he does becomes available during the middle stages of the tournament. After all, he is a fast bowler returning from an elbow injury and finger surgery.

Mark Wood —> Buying Mark Wood would perhaps have been a better bet, either in place of Morris (it’s only safe to think that Morris would be required more for his bowling than he would be for his batting) or, with the benefit of hindsight of Jofra’s injury, as a backup for Archer in the first place.

Umesh Yadav —> Delhi Capitals prefer to play Anrich Nortje and Kagiso Rabada as their frontline bowlers, leaving no space for an Indian fast bowler. But in RR, Umesh Yadav would definitely have added value and variety.

Ben Stokes —> When you have the world’s premier all-rounder at your service, he’s often the key player. But he will be one all the more this season as he shall be required to open the batting or play in the middle order. He shall be required to bowl 4 overs more often that not, sometimes even during the death. He shall be expected to take wickets as well as long as Jofra Archer is unavailable/not back to he absolute best.

Consistency has always been RR’s biggest enemy. The catalysts to convert promise into results always seem to run dry quickly. Expecting quick results from Sanju Samson the captain would also be unfair. Definitely the dark horses for me this season, as I expect them to finish 5th or 6th.

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