Xtra Time Web Desk: The inaugural champions of IPL, Rajasthan Royals will look to add a second title this season. The RR management decided to change the leadership, after having finished last on the points table. The franchise appointed Sanju Samson as the captain. The franchise also made a few big additions to their squad this season, roping in South African all rounder Chris Morris for a whopping 16.25 crore. They also brought in England T20 specialist Liam Livingstone along with Bangladesh left arm quick Mustafizur Rahman and all rounder Shivam Dube. However their biggest worry heading into the IPL 2021 season will be the form of Jofra Archer. The England pacer is coming after a shoulder injury. Here is a complete SWOT Analysis of the Rajasthan Royals squad for IPL 2021.
Strengths:
Rajasthan Royals boasts of a power packed batting line up which can take on any bowling attack. Ben Stokes is likely to open for the franchise this season (keeping in mind the T20 World Cup later this year) with Jos Buttler, making them one of the explosive opening pairs in IPL 2021. Captain Sanju Samson will look to carry on the good form of IPL 2020 season. The likes of Rahul Tewatia, David Miller, Shivam Dube and Liam Livingstone provide plenty of options in the middle order.
Weaknesses:
Jofra Archer, who was the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of IPL 2020, will be heading into the IPL 2021 season after a surgery on his shoulder. The shoulder has been a concern for Jofra right throughout the recently concluded test series and T20I series against India. The England pacer had to miss the ODI series. Rajasthan Royals will be wary about Jofra’s form after the surgery. The England pacer lacked the support last season. The franchise has brought Proteas all rounder Chris Morris for a whopping 16.25 crore, making him the most expensive player in IPL 2021. But the tall South African cricketer is prone to injuries which might limit his appearances for the franchise. With Ben Stokes making him unavailable to bowl this season, Rajasthan will have a huge headache to sort out their bowling options.
Opportunities:
IPL 2021 will create a huge opportunity for Mumbai all rounder Shivam Dube. He was released by the Royal Challengers Bangalore franchise as he failed to deliver. Inconsistent form also saw him getting dropped from the India white ball squad. With the T20 World Cup scheduled later this year, the upcoming IPL 2021 season will be an opportunity for Shivam to impress the national selectors. Youngsters like Mayank Markande, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shreyas Gopal will also like to make full use of the IPL 2021 stage.
Threats:
One of the major concerns for Rajasthan Royals is their over reliance on overseas cricketers. In a long season like the IPL, injuries and sudden dip in form are bound to happen. The squad is heavily reliant on the likes of Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler, Chris Morris and David Miller. Like Delhi Capitals, Rajasthan Royals too have named a new captain in Sanju Samson. It goes to be seen how the cricketer from Kerala handles the dual role of captaincy and premier batsman of the side.
Key Players:
Ben Stokes, Sanju Samson (C), Jos Buttler, Chris Morris and Shreyas Gopal
Full squad of Rajasthan Royals for IPL 2021:
Sanju Samson (c & wk), Jos Buttler (wk), Ben Stokes, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Manan Vohra, Anuj Rawat, Riyan Parag, David Miller, Rahul Tewatia, Mahipal Lomror, Shreyas Gopal, Mayank Markande, Jofra Archer, Andrew Tye, Jaydev Unadkat, Kartik Tyagi, Shivam Dube, Chris Morris, Mustafizur Rahman, Chetan Sakariya, KC Cariappa, Liam Livingstone, Kuldip Yadav, Akash Singh
