When Rajasthan Royals step out to take on Chennai Super Kings on Tuesday in their first game of the ongoing season of the Indian Premier League, their backs might be against the walls against a formidable CSK team. The MS Dhoni-led team defeated the defending champions Mumbai Indians in their opening game of the season, and will be full of confidence.
Royals will be missing some key players such as Ben Stokes and will have to rely on the latest additions in the squad to pull them through and give them a chance of pulling off a surprising win. Steve Smith will be the key player.
Here is our predicted XI of Rajasthan Royals:
Yashasvi Jaiswal
The youngster Yashasvi Jaiswal who made a name for himself in the U-19 Indian team was bought by the franchise for Rs 2.4 crore and big things are expected from him this year in the IPL. Yashasvi might be an inexperienced customer but he more than makes up for it with his talent.
Robin Uthappa
After moving on from Kolkata Knight Riders, Robin Uthappa will feel the pressure on him to put on a good show and justify why he still has what it takes to be a part of a winning unit. With Ajinkya Rahane gone, Uthappa will have a key role to play at the top of the order.
Sanju Samson (Wk)
Sanju Samson has been in and out of the Indian team and this year’s IPL is a huge chance for him to be a part of T20 World Cup squad next year. A motivated Samson can be a dangerous customer for all the oppositions, and hence, he will certainly be a key player this season.
Steve Smith (C)
The discussions in Australia are already taking place regarding giving the Test captaincy back to Steve Smith. Returning as captain for Rajasthan Royals this season, Smith will be eager to prove his mettle as a leader and as a batsman. The right-handed batsman will be looking to have a good season and at least take the team through the playoffs.
David Miller
David Miller is a versatile batsman and an experienced player in the IPL. After moving on from KXIP, the left-handed batsman will be eager to settle down quickly in his new team and put on a show or two.
Tom Curran
The former KKR speedster Tom Curran will be part of Rajasthan Royals’ solid looking bowling unit. With Ben Stokes not available at the moment, Curran will also have to showcase some talent with the bat, which will be his biggest challenge.
Riyan Parag
Riyan Parag has been recognised by the likes of Steve Smith as a special talent in the squad and he will be eager to justify all the praise he has received. He was an integral part of RR’s squad last season, so the fans can only expect even bigger things from him this year.
Shreyas Gopal
Shreyas Gopal had a fantastic season with RR last year in which he picked up 20 wickets in 14 games. His hat-trick against RCB was one of the biggest highlights of the 2019 season, and he will be eager to go one step ahead this year.
Jofra Archer
The lethal fast bowler Jofra Archer will be returning to IPL after seeing his fair share of ups and downs in the Test series against West Indies and Pakistan. The seamer has also opened up on how challenging being away from family is being for him. It will be interesting to see if the pacer is up for the IPL challenge this year.
Kartik Tyagi
The youngster Kartik Tyagi, who made a name for himself in the U-19 World Cup could also get a chance in Rajasthan Royals’ squad. He definitely has a lot of pace in his bowling, but it would be interesting to see how he fares up against the top players of the world.
Jaydev Unadkat
The left-arm pacer Jaydev Unadkat did not have the best of performances in the IPL last year. He picked up only 10 wickets in 11 games and conceded runs at an average of 39.8. But Unadkat had a fantastic Ranji season for Saurashtra last year in which he delivered a star-making performance to take his team to the trophy win. He will certainly have to prove that he can translate similar performances in T20 cricket against top players.