The Rajasthan Royals are one of the most beloved and passionate franchises in the Indian Premier League. As the inaugural IPL champions in 2008, the Royals have a special place in fans’ hearts for their underdog spirit. However, success has eluded them since that fairy tale beginning.
Ahead of IPL 2024, Rajasthan Royals have appointed Sanju Samson as their long-term captain. They have also revamped their squad by making some smart buys at the auction. With a good mix of experienced and young players, the Royals will be aiming for their second IPL title in 2024.
Rajasthan Royals Full Squad for IPL 2024
Here is Rajasthan Royals’ full 25-member squad for IPL 2024:
Batsmen: Sanju Samson (c & wk), Jos Buttler, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Devdutt Padikkal, Shimron Hetmyer
All-Rounders: Ravichandran Ashwin, Riyan Parag, Daryl Mitchell, Jimmy Neesham
Bowlers: Yuzvendra Chahal, Prasidh Krishna, Navdeep Saini, Trent Boult, Obed McCoy
Wicketkeepers: Sanju Samson, Jos Buttler
Rajasthan Royals focused on building a strong Indian core by retaining young talents like Yashasvi Jaiswal and buying back Prasidh Krishna. Exciting overseas recruits like Shimron Hetmyer, Daryl Mitchell and Obed McCoy provide more depth.
With a balanced purse of Rs 2.5 crore remaining after auction, the Royals seem to have all bases covered on paper. But they need to perform consistently as a unit to achieve success.
Key Indian Players in Rajasthan Royals Squad
The Royals possess some bright young Indian talent who could make a big impact:
Yashasvi Jaiswal – The classy opener needs to convert his undeniable potential into consistent runs at the top.
Prasidh Krishna – His genuine pace and wicket-taking ability provides potency to the bowling attack.
Riyan Parag – Has shown glimpses of his exciting strokeplay and needs to step up in finishing duties.
Navdeep Saini – Veteran pacer has the experience to spearhead the bowling unit with Prasidh Krishna.
Senior players like vice-captain Ravichandran Ashwin and Yuzvendra Chahal offer quality spin options and invaluable experience.
Analysis of Overseas Players
Rajasthan Royals boast one of the most destructive overseas opening duos in Buttler and Hetmyer. Buttler especially won the Orange Cap in IPL 2022 and will be keen to repeat those heroics.
The all-round abilities of Daryl Mitchell and Jimmy Neesham provide more stability. Trent Boult’s swing bowling expertise gives the attack more potency.
However, the Royals lacked depth last season once the top order failed. The team management needs to ensure their batting order has the right balance.
Rajasthan Royals’ Batting Firepower
An opening pair of Jos Buttler and Yashasvi Jaiswal gives Rajasthan Royals an explosive start more often than not. Sanju Samson and Devdutt Padikkal provide class and stability in the middle-order.
Shimron Hetmyer and Jimmy Neesham provide the muscle down the order to up the scoring rate when required. Wily spinner Ravichandran Ashwin can also chip in with handy runs.
Once the top order firing issue is resolved, the Royals batting possesses tremendous firepower to set big totals or chase any target.
Bowling Attack Options
Led by the wrist spin of Yuzvendra Chahal, Rajasthan Royals have plenty of bowling variety. The pace trio of Boult, Prasidh Krishna and Navdeep Saini complement each other well.
Left-arm pacer Obed McCoy provides death bowling options alongside Chahal’s wicket-taking leg spin. The all-round skills of Ashwin, Parag, Neesham and Mitchell bolster the attack further.
However, the Royals bowling lacked consistency last season. The think tank needs to use the right bowling combinations as per match situations.
Coach and Support Staff
Kumar Sangakkara as head coach brings invaluable experience as a former captain and batting great. Lasith Malinga is the new fast bowling coach, sharing Sri Lankan insights. Trevor Penney is an experienced assistant coach.
Zubin Bharucha as Director of Cricket provides continuity. The analytics team gives critical data-based inputs for decision making.
Conclusion
Rajasthan Royals have the right ingredients to produce a winning recipe in the form of a balanced squad. Their passionate fans will be hoping the team can gel well under Sanju Samson’s leadership.
With seasoned match-winners complementing emerging Indian talents, the Royals seem primed for a genuine title tilt in IPL 2024. If they can find consistency as a unit, the inaugural champions can recreate history 14 years later!