Rajasthan Royals come into the 2023 Indian Premier League with the momentum gained off the back of a run to last year's Final. They did come up short in disappointing fashion but they will be buoyed by the the success that they achieved.
One of their biggest purchases in the auction for the 2022 season, Prasidh Krishna, has been ruled out for the duration of the tournament. It is a blow but they do look to have a couple of replacements that will be more than capable of providing a genuine alternative.
Rajasthan Royals IPL 2022 performance
It was a good year for the Royals, who had assembled a strong-looking squad. They finished second in the league stage courtesy of a superior net run-rate and made it to the Final via the second Qualifier, only to lose in fairly convincing fashion to Gujarat Titans.
Jos Buttler had an unbelievable all-timer season, scoring almost 250 more runs than his closest rival for the Orange Cap, KL Rahul. Incredibly, the England limited overs captain scored four hundreds along with four fifties, all while scoring his 863 runs at a strike rate of 149.1. Buttler's 863 was only second to Virat Kohli's astonishing 2016 season where the Indian great scored 973 runs in 16 innings.
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| Jos Buttler had an unbelievable season in IPL 2022 for Rajasthan Royals, scoring the second-most runs ever in an IPL season, behind Virat Kohli [CREDIT: IPLT20] |
Buttler was supported by his captain Sanju Samson who was in typically good form, though arguably he could have turned more of his starts into bigger scores to add to his tally of 458; that thought was amplified by the fact his top score was just 55. Left-handers Devdutt Padikkal and Shimron Hetmyer both scored over 300 runs apiece, while Yashasvi Jaiswal chipped in alongside Ravichandran Ashwin and Riyan Parag.
The bowling was consistent and potent, with Purple Cap winner Yuzvendra Chahal leading the way with 27 wickets. The Royals were able to field a consistent bowling lineup that oozed quality and balance. As well as Chahal, the Royals were able to boast the talents of Prasidh, Ashwin and New Zealander Trent Boult. Obed McCoy also impressed, while Kuldeep Sen showed promise.
What squad changes have Rajasthan Royals made via the IPL auction?
Despite reaching the Final in 2022, the Royals still decided to give their squad a refresh ahead of the IPL 2023 auction. They particularly looked to freshen up their stable of overseas players, with Australian Nathan Coulter-Nile joining Kiwis Jimmy Neesham and Daryl Mitchell and South African duo Rassie van der Dussen and Corbin Bosch in not being retained. Experienced Indian batter Karun Nair was also released.
As a result of their lack of overseas retentions, Rajasthan were busy in replenishing that department at the auction. The biggest outlay was spent on Jason Holder, filling an all-rounder hole that had looked like a position that required attention.
Embed from Getty ImagesEngland legend Joe Root also finally got his first IPL deal, with Adam Zampa providing spin cover and rising South African star Donovan Ferreira also being picked up. Zampa was joined in strengthening the depth of the spin department by the signing of experienced IPL leggie Murugan Ashwin.
How is the squad shaping up ahead of the start of IPL 2023?
Potential starting XI: Jos Buttler, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sanju Samson, Devdutt Padikkal, Shimron Hetmyer, Riyan Parag, Jason Holder, Ravichandran Ashwin, Trent Boult, Kuldeep Sen, Yuzvendra Chahal
The team itself looks unlikely to change too much from last season, despite the amount of changes made prior to and during the auction. The absence of Prasidh will likely lead the way for Sen to make his name firmly in the XI. He will, though, face competition directly from fellow pacer Navdeep Saini, both of whom will be strong replacements for Prasidh. Murugan will also provide a good option if the Royals wanted to go with three frontline spinners or give one of Ashwin or Chahal a rest.
The batting looks to be fairly settled, despite the signing of Root. It will be great to see the Englishman get a chance in IPL 2023 but Hetmyer will likely remain first choice in the middle order and Holder will fill the all-rounder void. All in all, the Royals look to have a strong, balanced and settled side that will be able to attempt to make the most of the momentum from last year.
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