IPL is one of those mega-events of a calendar year that brings joy to every Indian. It is just another festival, that people celebrate with pomp and cheer. The fourteenth edition of the Indian Premier League will look a bit different than the past. As per reports by Cricbuzz, the existing franchises can retain up to three Indian players and two overseas players. The maximum retentions made by teams should not exceed four. In this article, we look at four players that the Rajasthan Royals might retain ahead of the mega auction in 2022.
On 25th October 2021, two new teams were officially inducted into the league based on an auction. RPSG Ventures Ltd. won the bid for the Lucknow-based outfit. The Ahmedabad franchise is bought by a Singapore-based company, Irelia Company Pte Ltd. The inclusion of teams will change the retention criteria for the existing teams ahead of the mega auction.
1. Ben Stokes
Rajasthan paid a whopping 12.5 Crores to buy Stokes ahead of the 2018 season. The absence of the Englishman is evident in the performance of the franchise. Ben Stokes is a top all-rounder, and his experience can bolster the batting performance of Rajasthan Royals as a unit. He could also chip in a couple of overs. Moreover, on his day, he could bowl his full quota of four overs.
Rajasthan’s middle order was inexperienced, and the risk on Morris did not go as per plans. Even though Stokes has not delivered his best performances for the franchise, it isn’t wise enough to write the 30-year-old off.
2. Jofra Archer
Jofra Archer is the second overseas player that Rajasthan could look to retain. Archer is one of the best bowlers in the format, if not the best. It is a no-brainer that the Royals would like to keep Archer. His injuries in the last season have cost the Rajasthan Royals. Moreover, he can hit the balls out of the ground and score some invaluable runs when required.
One of the premium seamers of this time, Archer is very lethal with his fast bowling. In a career of 35 matches, Archer has picked up 46 wickets, going at 7.1 RPO. A sum of 7.2 Crore to retain Jofra could prove to be a bargain if he has an injury-free season.
3. Chetan Sakariya
The left-arm pacer from Saurashtra was the find of the IPL this season. He has been crucial in providing breakthroughs to the team and stepping up in clutch moments. Sakariya’s maturity in his line and length has been impressive. He also earned a call-up to the Indian National Team for the Sri Lanka tour.
Paying 1.2 Crores, the Rajasthan Royals have a young Indian bowler who will only improve being around Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer. The 23-year-old bagged 14 wickets in his maiden IPL season, playing 14 matches in the group stage. His economy of 8.2 is eye-catching, given that he bowls in the powerplay and the death overs.
4. Yashasvi Jaiswal
Rajasthan paid 2.4 Crores to acquire the services of the young opening batsman before the 2020 IPL season. Yashasvi has been quite influential in the last season, scoring 249 runs in 10 matches.
in the 2021 season, his strike rate clocked near 150, with a decent average of just below 25. Jaiswal can also bowl an over or two if needed. This auction will be one for the long term, and 20-year-old Yashasvi can lead the batting order for years to come. it will not be surprising if Rajasthan Royals retain him ahead of the 2022 season.
