After finishing as runners-up in the IPL 2022, the great majority of cricket analysts tipped the Rajasthan Royals (RR) to win this year’s tournament. RR opened the season in spectacular form, winning four of their first five games, confirming the analysts’ forecasts.
But Royals’ fortunes turned around when they won only three of the next nine games and failed to make to the playoffs. RR’s demise was caused by several circumstances, including Jos Buttler’s poor form, unreliability in the middle order, and tactical errors.
In preparation for the upcoming season, RR will try to enhance the categories in which they have suffered this year. Still, there were a few positives for the franchise and let’s look at three of them here.
1) Yashasvi Jaiswal’s coming of age
Yashasvi Jaiswal is without a doubt the Royals’ most promising IPL 2023 prospect. The Southpaw put up some incredible numbers, finishing the season with a total of 626 runs in 14 innings. His runs were scored at a strike rate of 163.61, demonstrating his significant effect.
He scored one century and five half-centuries and is presently ranked fourth among IPL 2023 run scorers. More than the statistics, his confidence and overpowering manner of play made some greats appear like club bowlers.
The Royals have a young and really skilled player in Jaiswal. He will undoubtedly be the favourite pick to the franchise in the future, and as such, he must be looked after.
2) The entry of Dhruv Jurel
The Rajasthan Royals have spent a lot of time and money on ‘Project Riyan Parag’ over the last few years. However, the seeds that they planted bore no fruit. They backed Parag to establish himself as a finisher, but it wasn’t to be.
They tried another kid, Dhruv Jurel, for the same job this year. Unlike Parag, Jurel seized every opportunity that came his way. He smacked 152 runs at a strike rate of 172.73. His performances have garnered him high acclaim from several luminaries, and he is undoubtedly a jewel who will shine even brighter in the future.
3) The spin department
On paper, the Rajasthan Royals have the finest spin-bowling lineup of any club in the IPL 2023. This was because two absolute stars, Yuzvendra Chahal and Ravichandran Ashwin, were present. The two veterans did not let the squad down, making up for a disappointing performance from the pacers, with the exception of Trent Boult.
Chahal took 21 wickets this season, becoming the league’s most successful bowler, surpassing Dwayne Bravo’s record of 183. Ashwin, on the other hand, took 14 wickets at a 7.51 economy rate. Both were dependable choices for skipper Sanju Samson, and the Royals do not need to make any changes in this area.