In IPL 2023 season of the Indian Premier League (IPL), Rajasthan Royals (RR) would look to take one more stride after making it to the finals for the first time in 14 years. The 2008 IPL winner, Rajasthan IPL Team played an exciting and aggressive brand of cricket during their remarkable campaign under Sanju Samson’s leadership. Here is how RR 2023 Playing 11 might shape up in their first game next season.
Jos Buttler
The opening batter from England is one of the hottest commodities going around in world cricket at the moment. The England captain seems to be in an extended purple patch when it comes to T20 batting. He is a danger for any opposition captain both against pace and spin and is very difficult to set a field against. He will most definitely be one of the players to watch out for come IPL 2023.
Yashasvi Jaiswal
Photo by Rahul Gulati / Sportzpics for IPL
Yashasvi Jaiswal’s retention before the mega auction last year may have come as a surprise to a few, but the stylish left-hander brings with himself bucket loads of promise. However, it is about time he came of age and prove his mantle to the world on the biggest stage.
Sanju Samson
Sanju Samson has been among the league’s best Indian batters over the last three years. His fearless intent and sheer boundary-hitting ability make him a valuable asset for any team to possess. His maverick nature, though might sometimes prove to be productive and work against him in terms of consistency , is his biggest strength and what differentiates him from most other Indian batters.
Devdutt Padikkal
Devdutt Padikkal will come to this tournament with a lot of burden to perform. He had a forgettable last season and has had a slow start to the white ball domestic season as well. Before the retentions were announced, it was rumored that The Royals might actually let him go, which obviously didn’t turn out to be true. However, there will definitely be a lot of pressure on him to justify his price tag this season.
Riyan Parag
Riyan Parag, the youngest member of this batting lineup, will also be required to play the most difficult role. A T20 team’s most dexterous batter usually bats at 5/6 and it is vital that he possess the ability to go after the bowling from the get-go. Parag, who though has shown a lot of promise, has failed to repay the undying trust that the Royals management has shown in him. It, therefore, becomes critical for him to perform in pink this season, as it is about time he came of age.
Shimron Hetmyer
This left-hander from Guyana is The Royals’ in-house six-machine. He provides the “x-factor” to this batting lineup that most teams crave. He is well equipped to start attacking the bowling from the very beginning and go hammer and tong at the death. He might prove to be the most important cog in the wheel for the Jaipur-based franchise.
Ravichandran Ashwin
Although his place in the national side has come under scrutiny post the recently concluded t20 world cup, there is no denying that Ashwin is a handy asset in a T20 game. He is a phenomenal wicket-taker against left-handers and can ebb the flow of runs in the middle overs, not to mention his ability to provide a few clean hits with the bat toward the end of the innings.
Obed Mccoy
The tall West Indian fast bowler had a below-par first IPL season. He initially burst onto the scene as a hit-the-deck bowler who was skillful with his variations, but quickly developed a quick yorker and is now more complete as a death bowler. However, he has still not announced himself on the biggest stage and his success will be critical for his team as he might be the Royals’ primary death bowling candidate.
Yuzvendra Chahal
Like a lot of senior Indian players, Yuzvendra Chahal’s stock as a T20 player has taken a hit post the T20 World Cup. The thirty-two-year-old did not win any favour from the Indian team management as he failed to start in any one of the six games that the Indian side played in Australia. Therefore, he will come to the IPL with a huge point to prove, and one never counts out an old warhorse like Chahal.
Trent Boult
Trent Boult still remains an extremely potent threat in the powerplay with the swinging new ball. However, it is a proven fact that he cannot be relied upon to that extent in the death. Therefore, it becomes vital that the captain and management use him judiciously to extract the most out of him.
Navdeep Saini
The tall skiddy quick from Delhi has been good at the domestic level. His raw pace and bounce make him a potent asset both with the new ball and in the middle overs. He has that ability to bowl yorkers at death. He is without a doubt one of the most exciting local fast bowlers going around.