5 players RR should target in the IPL 2021 auction

The Rajasthan Royals (RR) had their worst IPL season in 2020. For the first time in 13 years, the Jaipur-based franchise finished at the last position on the points table. They had kicked off their campaign with two outstanding performances against the Kings XI Punjab and the Chennai Super Kings. However, they lost their path after stepping out of Sharjah and missed out on a place in the top 4. Captain Steve Smith made some surprising decisions in IPL 2020. He did not use regular opener Yashasvi Jaiswal much. At the same time, he promoted himself and all-rounder, Ben Stokes, to the opening position. Robin Uthappa, who has achieved the most success in his IPL career while opening the innings, batted in the middle order during the first half of the season. Some extremely talented names like Manan Vohra, Akash Singh, and Mayank Markande did not get a single opportunity to showcase their talent in the United Arab Emirates. The team management will look to make a few changes to their squad before the next edition of the IPL. Here are the five players that RR should aim to sign in the upcoming auction: 1. Hanuma Vihari Hanuma Vihari. (Photo: IANS) Even though Hanuma Vihari is not the cleanest hitter of the ball, he can be a vital addition to the Rajasthan Royals middle order. There were a few occasions in IPL 2020 when the RR top order collapsed and the likes of Tom Curran and Jofra Archer had to take the team to a respectable score. In those situations, a player like Hanuma Vihari could have been handy. He was a match-winner for the Sunrisers Hyderabad in the 2013 season. Although his strike rate is a bit low for the T20 format, he can play the anchor’s role if Steve Smith wishes to continue attacking the opposition bowlers in the next seasons. Perhaps, Vihari could bat at number 3 and stabilise the innings before the likes of Sanju Samson, Jos Buttler, and Rahul Tewatia would finish off the innings. It is pertinent to note that Vihari can also bowl right-arm off-spin in the middle overs. He has an economy rate of 6.71 with the ball, and if he gets a proper role, the Indian batsman can emerge as a match-winner for the Rajasthan Royals. 2. Yusuf Pathan Yusuf Pathan of Sunrisers Hyderabad. (Photo by Surjeet Yadav/IANS) Former Rajasthan Royals all-rounder Yusuf Pathan missed an IPL season for the first time in his career. He had played a pivotal role in the Jaipur-based franchise’s title win in 2008. While Yusuf is no longer the player that he once was, he can still win a match single-handedly on his day. The Sunrisers Hyderabad released from their squad before the auction as they wished to sign some new players. The Rajasthan Royals could have benefited a lot by signing Pathan. Not only he would have supported Rahul Tewatia and Jofra Archer to perfection in the middle order but he could have also bowled a few overs of off-spin in the middle. He has an experience of playing 174 IPL matches, where he has scored 3,204 runs at a strike rate of 142.97. The Baroda-based player has also taken 42 wickets at an economy rate of 7.33. 3. Evin Lewis Evin Lewis of Mumbai Indians in action. (Photo by IANS) The Rajasthan Royals altered their opening combination frequently in the absence of Ben Stokes this year. They might not have faced this issue had they signed Evin Lewis in the auction. There were even a few rumours that RR wished to sign Lewis in the trade window. However, the same did not materialise. Lewis did not find any buyers in the IPL 2020 auction. The left-handed batsman played 16 IPL matches for the Mumbai Indians, scoring 430 runs at a strike rate of 131.10. MI released him from their squad after Quinton de Kock’s stellar performances in 2019. The Rajasthan Royals should go after him in the next auction. The West Indian star could be a decent back-up opener for them. Looking at his performances against the Indian bowlers, one can come to know how much he loves playing against them. 4. Shahrukh Khan Shahrukh Khan. (Photo Source: Twitter) 25-year-old T20 star from Tamil Nadu Shahrukh Khan was expected to get a bid in the IPL 2020 Auction. However, the franchises did not show any interest in him. Since the Rajasthan Royals had some issues in their top order, they should opt for Khan’s services in the 2021 season. Shahrukh impressed a lot while playing for the Lyca Kovai Kings in the Tamil Nadu Premier League. He has also done a fine job in the List A format. Khan has scored 286 runs in 12 List A innings, with his strike rate being 114.40. As Riyan Parag was a tad inconsistent, the Royals might look for options in that department. Over the years, RR have unearthed many young talents in the IPL and Shahrukh Khan could be the next addition to that long list. 5. Liam Plunkett Liam Plunkett. (Photo Source: Twitter) A rather surprising name present on this list is of the veteran English speedster Liam Plunkett. The Royals have Jofra Archer as their primary overseas fast bowler, but the other names in that section are not so reliable. Tom Curran had an average IPL 2020 season, whereas Andrew Tye failed to replicate his past performances. The Royals had the option of using Oshane Thomas. Still, they did not use him in their playing XI. The reason why RR should go for Plunkett is his immense experience. The 35-year-old has played 158 T20 matches in his career and picked up 146 wickets. He has the ability to bowl well in the death overs. Besides, Plunkett had a fantastic outing in the recently concluded T20 Blast. The right-arm pacer picked up a couple of three-wicket hauls for Surrey. Since he can strike a few big hits in the slog overs, Plunkett could strengthen the overseas contingent of RR.

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5 players RR should target in the IPL 2021 auction

The Royals finished the 2020 season at the bottom of the points table.

4. Shahrukh Khan

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