IPL 2024: Rajasthan Royals team preview, season prediction, SWOT analysis, predicted XI, squad

IPL 2024: Royals have a well-established batting line-up, with Yashasvi Jaiswal, Jos Buttler, Samson, and Shimron Hetmyer forming the core.

Sanju Samson, the captain of Rajasthan Royals. | Photo Credit: EMMANUAL YOGINI/The Hindu

Rajasthan Royals has a well-established batting line-up, with Yashasvi Jaiswal, Jos Buttler, Samson, and Shimron Hetmyer forming the core.

Over the past two years, Rajasthan Royals has meticulously built its team, evident in its impressive performances — it has the joint-second most wins since IPL 2022, with 17 victories in 31 matches. By retaining the majority of its playing XI from the previous season, the Sanju Samson-led team oozes confidence.

Royals have a well-established batting line-up, with Yashasvi Jaiswal, Jos Buttler, Samson, and Shimron Hetmyer forming the core. To mitigate its over-reliance on a single anchor, RR strategically introduced Donovan Ferreira and, more recently, Rovman Powell, infusing additional power in the middle-order. The inclusion of Indian talent like Riyan Parag and Dhruv Jurel bolsters this formidable line-up.

Highlights

• Matches: 206
• Won: 101
• Titles: 1 (2008)

A noteworthy shift for RR this season is its emphasis on recruiting specialists rather than all-rounders, with only three in its ranks – R. Ashwin, Parag, and Abid Mushtaq. This underscores the significance of the Impact Player rule. Given Royals’ penchant for innovative strategies, fans can anticipate unconventional decisions.

The key piece: Yashasvi Jaiswal scored 625 runs in IPL 2023. | Photo Credit: K. R. DEEPAK/The Hindu

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In the bowling department, RR maintains continuity while securing a reliable backup for Trent Boult in Nandre Burger, a South African left-arm pacer with a distinct style – he relies on extra bounce rather than swing. The middle-overs will witness the seasoned Ashwin-Yuzvendra Chahal bowling partnership, supported by Indian speedsters Avesh Khan, Kuldeep Sen and Navdeep Saini. RR, however, will miss the services of its lanky pacer Prasidh Krishna for a second consecutive season.

Prediction

Royals knew they had a strong squad before the auction and focused only on securing backups for each role. This could be the season when the 16-year-old wait for silverware ends.

Predicted XI: Jos Buttler, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sanju Samson (c) (wk), Rovman Powell, Shimron Hetmyer, Dhruv Jurel, Riyan Parag, R. Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, Trent Boult, Avesh Khan

Squad: Sanju Samson, Jos Buttler (ENG), Dhruv Jurel, Kunal Rathore, Donovan Ferreira (SA), Tom Kohler-Cadmore (ENG), Shimron Hetmyer (WI), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Riyan Parag, Rovman Powell (WI), Shubham Dubey, Ravichandran Ashwin, Abid Mushtaq, Trent Boult (NZ), Yuzvendra Chahal, Sandeep Sharma, Navdeep Saini, Kuldeep Sen, Adam Zampa (AUS), Nandre Burger (SA), Avesh Khan.