Rajasthan Royals are always the dark horses in the Indian Premier League title race. The inaugural champions of IPL are known for their investments in young players. Over the years, many top talents in Indian cricket have donned the jersey of Rajasthan.
Although they managed to win the first title in 2008, Rajasthan Royals never really challenged for title apart from 2013 edition. However, with so much talent in their ranks coupled with playing in UAE, Rajasthan might fancy their chances this season.
Here is the most probable XI that would make Rajasthan Royals strong in this edition.
Openers (Jos Buttler, Yashasvi Jaiswal)
Jos Buttler is undoubtedly one of the best players in IPL 2019. The Englishman had a scintillating season and Rajasthan fans will hope to see him repeat his accolades once again.
Yashaswi Jaiswal was one of the best talents in U-19 world cup. The management will be hoping to see him step up and deliver in IPL this season. Of course, the team can still shuffle their batting lineup by promoting Sanju Samson or Robin Uthappa if the youngster fails.
Middle Order (Steve Smith, Sanju Samson and Robin Uthappa)
The middle order seems to be the greatest strength for Rajasthan Royals this season. They packed it with proven stars and experienced players.
Steve Smith will return to IPL fold this year after being banned last season. Sanju Samson is one of the main stays for Rajasthan Royals for few years now. He will once again be the most important Indian player in their team.
The signing of Robin Uthappa could be the biggest gamble Rajasthan took. He is one of the most gifted players but KKR decided to move away from him. However, the veteran star will provide both stability and flexibility to this Rajasthan team as he can play in numerous batting positions.
All rounders (Ben Stokes, Tom Curran, Riyan Parag)
Ben Stokes is undoubtedly the best all rounder in world cricket. The talented England cricketer will provide depth in all three departments and will be a massive player for Rajasthan Royals once again.
Tom Curran needs to fill in for Jofra Archer this season. Although, it is a big ask, Tom Curran has proven himself across the domestic T20 leagues across the world. A proper outing in IPL this season would pave way into England T20 team.
Riyan Parag is relatively low name in this lineup but the youngster can definitely spring a surprise. He had a great year with Rajasthan Royals last season and he will try to emulate or achieve better next month.
Bowlers (Jaydev Unadkat, Shreyas Gopal, Ankit Rapoot)
Rajasthan Royals would most likely go with an all Indian bowling attack. Spinner Shreyas Gopal has been a constant performer for Rajasthan Royals in the past couple of seasons.
However, should he show any inconsistently, Mayank Markande could replace him in the final XI. On the other hand, Jaydev Unadkat is the star Indian bowler in this team. However, the veteran bowler failed to emulate his RPS performances for Rajasthan over the last two years.
But with a strong Ranji season behind him, Unadkat is rearing to go into the new season. He should be able to pay back the trust Rajasthan management kept in him in IPL 2020.
The other pacer can be between Ankit Rajpoot or Varun Aaron. But Ankit Rajpoot had a good IPL season and proved to be the better option with his performances in IPL recently.
So this could be the strongest Rajasthan XI in IPL 2020. Do let us know your thoughts in comments below!
