IPL 2022 Auction: Ranking Rajasthan Royals' player retentions
Rajasthan Royals will be keen to have a stellar IPL 2022 Auction, and for good reason. They suffered from a lack of big names in 2021 and were reliant on Sanju Samson and Jos Buttler to deliver with the bat in most games..
The franchise has retained three players ahead of the Mega Auction - Sanju Samson, Jose Buttler and Yashasvi Jaiswal. Samson and Buttler are the experienced stars in the team while Jaiswal is one for the future.
The Royals will look to bolster their middle-order and completely revamp their bowling unit when they take part in the IPL 2022 Auction. They may have ₹62 crores to load up on players, but did they miss a beat by not retaining a single bowler in their team?
Rajasthan Royals get 6/10 for their retentions ahead of IPL 2022 Auction
The four points deducted are due to the fact that Rajasthan could have placed their faith in one more player in their ranks.
Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer may have been notable absentees in 2021, but the former has always been a gun asset in T20. The Royals could have taken a gamble on Stokes as he is a proven match-winner and one of the best all-rounders in the shortest format of the game.
Chetan Sakariya was their most promising prospect in the last edition of the Indian Premier League. The young seamer bagged 14 wickets in his maiden season. Letting him go into the IPL 2022 Auction meant losing out on a player who could have been a core player for the Royals.
Four retentions in Jasiwal, Sakariya, Buttler and Samson may also have been a possible solution for the Royals.
The retentions of Samson and Buttler were expected. The duo were the batting mainstays for Rajasthan last season. IPL 2022 Auction will see them build a roster to play around these two players.
One advantage for the side is that their opening pair is set ahead of the new season. Buttler and Jaiswal will be given the responsibility after an impressive run in 2021.
Challenges in IPL 2022 Auction:
(i) Figuring out on building a core team
(ii) Possibility of shelling out a lot to reacquire Sakariya or Stokes
(iii) Reconstructing the entire bowling attack
(iv) Building a reliable middle-order.