IPL Auction 2020: How RR line up for the season | Best and worst buy
Rajasthan Royals had a budget of INR 28.90 crores with the maximum requirement of 11 players, heading into the IPL 2020 auction.
While there were a total of 11 slots to be filled, the three most important slots which RR were keen on was a back-up overseas fast bowler for Jofra Archer, a back-up overseas big hitter for Ben Stokes and a domestic Indian middle-order batsman with a bit of experience.
RR would have mixed feelings, following their business at the auction. While a couple of their purchases were absolute steals, a few other players that they bought were probably not worth the money that they cost.
Here are the players Rajasthan Royals bought in the IPL 2020 auction
Tom Curran – INR 1 crore
Andrew Tye – INR 1 crore
Aniruddha Joshi – INR 20 lakhs
Oshane Thomas – INR 50 lakhs
David Miller – INR 75 lakhs
Kartik Tyagi – INR 1.30 crores
Akash Singh – INR 20 lakhs
Anuj Rawat – INR 80 lakhs
Yashasvi Jaiswal – INR 2.4 crores
Jaydev Unadkat – INR 3 crores
Robin Uthappa – INR 3 crores
Here is the full squad of Rajasthan Royals after the IPL 2020 auction –
Steve Smith, Robin Uthappa, David Miller, Mahipal Lomror, Manan Vohra, Riyan Parag, Ankit Rajpoot, Mayank Markande, Jofra Archer, Shreyas Gopal, Varun Aaron, Jaydev Unadkat, Kartik Tyagi, Akash Singh, Oshane Thomas, Andrew Tye, Ben Stokes, Rahul Tewatia, Shashank Singh, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Anirudha Joshi, Tom Curran, Jos Buttler, Sanju Samson, Anuj Rawat
Best Buys (David Miller, Yashasvi Jaiswal)
David Miller might not have been a consistent performer at the international level for the last two years, but he seemed to be back in form in the recently played MSL, where he averaged 61.33 for his team Durban Heat while striking the ball at a rate of 128.67 runs per 100 balls.
To get Miller at INR 75 lakhs was a great bit of business by the Royals. If the South African southpaw is in form, he can be devastating against any bowling attack in the world.
Yashasvi Jaiswal is a dynamic top-order batsman, who scored 564 runs in the Vijay Hazare Trophy earlier this season at an average of more than a 100.
He is flamboyant and can play those expansive lofted shots, but at the same time, he is also very compact and solid. His versatility makes him a wonderful prospect. Yashasvi offers something with the ball too as he bowls pretty handy leg-spin.
Worst Buy (Jaydev Unadkat)
Jaydev Unadkat went at a rate of 10.66 runs per over in IPL 2019, while in IPL 2018, his economy rate was 9.65. The left-arm seamer averaged very high as well in the last two editions of the IPL.
It’s tough to understand why Rajasthan Royals still went for him and stretched the bidding to INR 3 crores, despite him providing poor returns to the franchise.
Unadkat's strength is his cutters and slower deliveries, but the pitch at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium, where the Royals play their home games, isn’t always sticky. It offers a nice carry at times.
Unadkat is not really tailor-made for surfaces which offer carry to the bowlers. He is more comfortable bowling on sluggish pitches.