IPL 2020: 3 Rajasthan Royals players to watch out for
Despite scripting history in the inaugural edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), Rajasthan Royals is counted as one of the perennial underachievers of the tournament in the 11 seasons since then. They haven’t managed to gel as a unit which has been the major reason behind their below-par performances in most of the seasons. However, they have a perfect blend of youth and experience in the upcoming season and will be looking to turn their fortunes around.
Royals bagged the services of a few budding youngsters who could turn out to be the X factor for them in the upcoming season. They also have a bunch of experienced campaigners who are capable match-winners on their days. Hence the team management will be optimistic of putting up a good all-round show in the 13th season of the biggest domestic T20 competition in the world.
With the tournament slated to start in a shade over two months, let us have a look at 3 players who can make a difference for the Rajasthan Royals (RR).
Ben Stokes
The English all-rounder is one of the most sought after cricketers in the world at the moment. Stokes has emerged as the finest all-rounder in world cricket and his heroics for England, especially in the last one year, cannot be defined in words. It was his midas touch which helped England lift their maiden ODI World Cup title last year.
Just in a few days later, Stokes played one of the finest Test innings ever as England registered one of the greatest come from behind victories in the history of the game in the 2nd Ashes Test against Australia.
Stokes has been part of the Rajasthan Royals outfit since their re-entry in the tournament. However, his IPL record with the Royals has been far from impressive and he will be looking to change the trend in the upcoming season. Given the form he has been in all forms of cricket, Stokes could turn out to be the game-changer for RR in 2020.
Jofra Archer
The English speedster has already made a big name for himself in international cricket. He is among an elite class of bowlers who can intimidate opposition batters with his raw pace and hostility. He had a pleasant time with the Rajasthan Royals in the last two years and will continue to spearhead their bowling attack in the upcoming season.
Archer has the unique ability to hurry batsmen with his pace and possesses several variations up his sleeve to bamboozle the batsmen. His immaculate slower deliveries and yorkers make him a perfect option for a captain, especially in the death overs. Archer played 10 and 11 matches in the last two years bagging 15 and 11 wickets respectively. Meanwhile, he is also a good striker of the ball lower down the order.If Rajasthan harbour hopes of going all the way, Archer will be one of the players to watch out for.
Yashasvi Jaiswal
From selling panipuri in 2017 to becoming a crorepati by the end of 2019, Yashasvi Jaiswal’s story has been nothing short of a fairytale. His rise from rags to riches is bound to inspire a lot of budding cricketers. Having lived with the groundsmen in the Muslim United Club’s tent at the Azad Maidan Ground in Mumbai for three years, his life was not like the other kids. However, the dreams of representing India kept him going and now he will get the exposure of rubbing shoulders with some of the stalwarts of the game.
The youngster rose into prominence back in 2015 when he smashed 319* and finished with match figures of 13/99 in the Giles Shield Cricket tournament to set up a new record for the highest score and most wickets in a match in a school-level competition.
The teenager yet again etched his name in the record books when he became the youngest cricketer ever to score a double century in List A cricket last year. The southpaw smashed 203 of 154 deliveries during a sensational display of batsmanship. He will be one of the players to watch out for Rajasthan in the upcoming season.
Also read: IPL 2020 | 3 Mumbai Indians stars to watch out for