IPL 2022 Auction: 5 released Rajasthan players RR might target
Rajasthan Royals (RR) won the inaugural edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) back in 2008. Since then, RR have had to endure rocky terrain, making it to the playoffs just thrice in 11 further instances.
RR developed a reputation for being the 'Moneyball' team of the IPL, owing to their prudent spending strategies at the IPL auctions. Although there have been instances of RR shelving that approach for a more aggressive one in recent times, results on the field have been hard to come by.
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Ahead of the IPL 2022 Auction, RR retained Sanju Samson, their skipper from the 2021 season, where the side finished seventh. Apart from Samson, England's Jos Buttler and Mumbai's upcoming prodigy Yashasvi Jaiswal were also retained by the Royals.
Homegrown talent in RR over the years.
Over the years, there haven't been too many homegrown players to have donned Rajasthan Royals colors. Some of the notable players from Rajasthan who have represented RR include Ashok Menaria and Mahipal Lomror. Deepak Chahar was initially contracted by RR, but he never got to feature in the playing XI.
Rajasthan recently made it to the pre-quarterfinal stage of the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2021-22, eventually losing to Karnataka. The state has been blessed with a number of budding and experienced players who have also gone on to represent India in recent times.
Here, we take a look at five such players from Rajasthan who could be picked up by the RR at the IPL 2022 Auction.
#5 Rahul Chahar
Rahul Chahar has been one of the breakout performers in the IPL in recent years. Chahar has plied his trade for the Mumbai Indians (MI) and, with his crucial breakthroughs in the middle overs, has played a pivotal role in the side's consecutive title triumphs in 2019 and 2020.
Rahul Chahar has also represented India in six T20Is and a solitary ODI, while also being a part of the recent T20 World Cup. Given his ability to bowl quick through the air and entice batters into going after him, he could be the ideal wicket-taker who RR require.
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Shreyas Gopal had a couple of fruitful IPL seasons in 2018 and 2019 as RR's lead spinner. However, he has since tapered off and acquiring local lad Rahul Chahar would be a wise move for RR. After all, who knows their home ground, the Sawai Mansingh Stadium, better than Chahar who plays for Rajasthan, right?
#4 Deepak Chahar
One player who could argue with the aforementioned question is Rahul's brother Deepak Chahar. The elder of the Chahar cousins has been a lynchpin for the Chennai Super Kings (CSK), striking crucial blows in the powerplay with his precise swing bowling.
Deepak Chahar has managed to carry his IPL prowess to international level too, holding the record for the joint-best returns in all T20Is. Deepak is also handy with the bat, as was seen in his match-winning unbeaten 69 in a run chase against Sri Lanka in July.
It all started for Rajasthan when Deepak Chahar shot into the spotlight with the best returns on Ranji Trophy debut. What better than a homecoming at RR for the elder Chahar? Who knows, we've seen the Pandya brothers play together for MI and this time, it could be the turn of the Chahar brothers to don the RR colors in IPL 2022.
#3 Kamlesh Nagarkoti
It has been quite the rollercoaster for Kamlesh Nagarkoti. Having shot into the limelight courtesy of his high speeds in the ICC U19 World Cup 2018, Nagarkoti has been plagued by injuries aplenty thereafter.
Despite bagging a hefty contract with the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the IPL 2018 Auction, Nagarkoti finally made his debut only in the 2020 season of the T20 tournament.
Kamlesh Nagarkoti hasn't set the IPL stage alight per se and opportunities have also been hard to come by. That said, he is barely getting started in his career and the encouraging aspect is that he has taken the field a lot more frequently in recent times.
Package-wise, very few get as enticing as Nagarkoti, who can also hit the ball hard and is one of the most agile fielders in India.
RR has focused on acquiring young Indian fast-bowlers in seasons gone by. If that strategy were to come into force, expect RR to gun hard for local lad Kamlesh Nagarkoti, whose all-round abilities would be quite a handful.
#2 Deepak Hooda
Although he originally hails from Baroda, Deepak Hooda now plies his trade for Rajasthan in domestic cricket and is in the midst of a purple patch this season.
Deepak Hooda ended the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2021-22 as the second-highest run-getter with 294 runs at a strike-rate of 168. He was also Rajasthan's captain in their run to the pre-quarterfinals of the Vijay Hazare Trophy.
In the pre-quarterfinal game against Karnataka, Hooda struck a run-a-ball 109 to lift Rajasthan from the abyss after they were reeling at 19/5.
Such has been Deepak Hooda's form and prowess that he is bound to command a lot of bids in the IPL 2022 Auction. He started his IPL career at RR back in 2014 and left a big impact in the 2015 season.
A "local lad" now, is there a second homecoming for Hooda at RR? Given the need for a finisher and someone who can chip in with the ball, the possibility can't be ruled out.
#1 Ravi Bishnoi
Ravi Bishnoi has created ripples ever since he burst into the limelight at the ICC U19 World Cup 2020. Bishnoi fetched an ₹2 crore contract with the Punjab Kings (then Kings XI Punjab) ahead of the tournament. He then justified the faith shown in him by ending the U19 World Cup as the highest wicket-taker with 17 scalps from six games.
Bishnoi's biggest USP is a deceptive googly which he rips out at will - more frequently than leg-breaks, in fact. Across IPL 2020 and 2021, Bishnoi has given enough evidence of his control and wicket-taking capabilities, while also showing agile skills on the field.
All this, and the Rajasthan lad has just begun what promises to be a long career ahead.
Ravi Bishnoi in this Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2021 so far:-
•4-0-27-1
•4-0-25-2
•4-0-28-1
•4-0-20-3
•Hat-trick in this SMAT.
Ravi Bishnoi left yet another mark in the T20 format with a hat-trick in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2021-22 for Rajasthan. The track at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur is known to assist the spinners and RR will be keenly in pursuit of a leg-spinner at the IPL 2022 Auction.
With a full career ahead and an India debut just a matter of time for Ravi Bishnoi, it goes without a doubt that he must be one of RR's top priorities. Come the IPL 2022 Auction and a number of teams will be behind Bishnoi's services - can RR strike a groundbreaking deal that could serve them for years to come?