IPL team profile: Rajasthan Royals brace for life after Buttler services

The performance graph of Rajasthan Royals, the 2008 champions, had been on the upswing in the past cycle after wallowing at the lower end of the table for years. However, the fans will be expecting something more from a revamped squad and the comeback of Rahul Dravid as head coach.

A Royals batting line-up without the talismanic Jos Buttler may look strange after years, especially after the way the former England white ball captain’s unbelievable form saw them emerging as runners-up in the 2022 season. They finished third last year but this time around, the onus will be on skipper Sanju Samson, Yashasvi Jaiswal, new import Nitish Rana and Shimron Hetmyer to shoulder their batting responsibilities under different conditions.

Quite a few eyebrows must have been raised when the Royals management let go the likes of Buttler, spin duo of Ravi Ashwin and Yuzvendra Chahal but they have made some calculated buys in the mega auction. Jofra Archer, the tearaway England paceman, is back with the franchise while they have bolstered the spin department with the acquisition of Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Thiksana and Kumar Kartikeya.

It’s time that the likes of Jaiswal, Samson, Rana coupled with Riyan Parag and Dhruv Jurel assume greater responsibility – now that most have acquitted themselves creditably in international cricket as well.  There are some early alarm bells over the availability of Samson from the start of the season as he had undergone a surgery in the right index finger after the T20I series against England. A clearer picture will emerge closer to their first game against Sunrisers Hyderabad on 23 March (Sunday).  

The fast-bowling attack will be spearheaded by Archer and Sandeep Sharma. The England star, known for his raw pace and ability to generate bounce, will be a key weapon to strike in powerplays – even though his history of breaking down with injuries may keep the team’s think tank wary throughout the season.

 Meanwhile, Sandeep Sharma’s experience and knack for swinging the ball both ways and experience of bottling up things in death overs make him an ideal partner for Archer. The inclusion of Fazalhaq Farooqi as a back-up for Archer could prove to be a valuable asset for the Halla Bol Army. The 24-year-old Afghan, with his ability to work a lively pace, provides a reliable option in the pace department.

Hasaranga, with his ability to bowl leg-spin and deliver crucial breakthroughs, adds a dynamic edge to the spin department. Theekshana’s mystery spin and variations make him a difficult bowler to read while Karthikeya’s consistent performance and accuracy further strengthen the spin attack.

Return of Dravid

While it’s a given that a mentor or head coach is eventually as good as his team, the return of Dravid in the team’s dugout will work as a major catalyst to augment the team’s performance. ‘The Wall’ had been to the Royals what Sachin Tendulkar had been to Mumbai Indians – having served them as a player-mentor, then coach before taking up the responsibility of grooming India’s pipeline of future talent.

The chemistry between him and Samson goes back a long way and Dravid had been given the carte blanche in selection of his support staff – his former India colleagues Vikram Rathore (batting coach) and Paras Mhambrey (bowling coach). The expectations will be high but then, the new head coach is no stranger to it!

Full squad

Sanju Samson (captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel, Shimron Hetmyer, Sandeep Sharma, Jofra Archer, Maheesh Theekshana, Wanindu Hasaranga, Akash Madhwal, Kumar Kartikeya, Tushar Deshpande, Nitish Rana, Shubham Dubey, Yudhvir Singh, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Vaibhav Suryavanshi.