IPL 2023: Match 4, Rajasthan Royals (RR) Predicted Playing XI vs Sunrisers Hyderabad

The 2008 Indian Premier League 2023 champions Rajasthan Royals (RR) will look to kick off their journey in the 2023 competition with a victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in their first game at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium. The Sanju Samson-led side performed brilliantly in the previous season and ended their campaign as runners-up. 

In their last year's journey, their top performers were Jos Buttler and Yuzvendra Chahal who won Orange Cap and Purple Cap respectively. This year, RR supporters will expect the two players as well as other prominent names to be at their best again and quench their team’s thirst for lifting a trophy after 15 years. However, for that, they will be required to outclass SRH in their opening match to boost their confidence at the start of the tournament.

Check here 👉 Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Rajasthan Royals, Match 4 - Live Cricket Score

Here’s Rajasthan Royals’ predicted XI against Sunrsers Hyderabad (SRH)

Openers: Yashasvi Jaiswal and Jos Buttler

Yashasvi Jaiswal delivered some quality knocks for his side Mumbai in the domestic season. In the previous edition, RR trusted him for 10 matches, and in return, he looked decent with his bat, notching up 258 runs at a strike rate of 132.94. The 21-year-old will back himself to continue his domestic season’s form and make his batting numbers better in the league.

Jos Buttler’s batting display in the tournament will be crucial for RR to fare well in the competition. In the last edition, the wicketkeeper batter played attacking cricket throughout the competition and took the Orange Cap home, scoring 863 runs in 17 games. This time, the franchise will bank on him again to get fierce starts in the matches.

Middle-order batters: Sanju Samson (c & wk), Devdutt Padikkal, and Shimron Hetmyer

Captain Sanju Samson will look forward to providing solid batting numbers to his team. Alongside batting, the dashing player’s leadership prowess will also be tested. In the last installment of the league, he scored 458 runs in 17 matches and became the second-leading run-scorer for his team. Talking about his captaincy, RR qualified for the finals for the second time in the history of the league last year, and for the first time since the inagural season.

In 2022, Devdutt Padikkal failed to turn up against bowlers, piling up only 376 runs in 17 contests at a below-par average of 122.87. However, forgetting his previous year's outings, the Southpaw will look forward to playing the ferocious brand of cricket for Royals. The 22-year-old will provide strength to RR’s batting line-up and his fine performances in the 2022-23 Ranji Trophy will embolden him to give his best to RR in the upcoming game.

Donning the RR jersey for the first time, Shimron Hetmyer performed exceptionally with his bat. Banking on his hard-hitting ability, he won some crucial games for Royals, last year. The ace Caribbean batter racked up 314 runs in 15 matches at a stunning strike rate of 153.92. This time, the team management will want him to continue his form with the bat.

All-rounders: Jason Holder and Riyan Parag

In the 2023 IPL auction, RR reserved Jason Holder’s services for INR 5.75 crore. The former West Indies captain will be seen reinforcing the team with his all-round skills. The veteran’s records show that he could be impactful as a bowler and a match-finisher. In the past, he has stunned his opponents several times with his incredible cameos, by concluding games in his style.

Despite failing to be efficient in back-to-back seasons, Riyan Parag is getting support from the RR team management. His dismal numbers with the bat have given his critics several chances to attack him. This season, the youngster will look to shine for his side and silence his disparagers. 

Bowlers: Ravichandran Ashwin, Trent Boult, Kuldeep Sen, and Yuzvendra Chahal

Ravichandran Ashwin will bolster RR's spin-bowling unit, along with Yuzvendra Chahal. In the previous season, he couldn’t stand up to the expectations, picking up only 12 wickets in 17 games at an economy of 7.50. However, this year is going great for him as he ended up as the highest wicket-taker in the recently concluded Border-Gavaskar Trophy. The spin wizard will strive to break into the T20 extravaganza with his fine form.

In the absence of Prasidh Krishna, Trent Boult’s role will become more essential in the RR camp as he will spearhead the pace attack of the team. Playing his debut season for RR, the veteran took 16 wickets in 16 matches at an economy of 7.93. Going through his reputation, it could be said that the speedster didn’t live up to the expectations in his maiden season for RR. Against Bhuvneshwar Kumar-led Sunrisers, his franchise will want him to bamboozle batters using his pace and variations.

Kuldeep Sen will be expected to fill the shoes of Prasidh Krishna in the marquee event. The speedster’s ability to click over 145kmph consistently can trouble batters. In his last domestic appearance in the 2022-23 Vijay Hazare Trophy, he showed excellence with the ball, scalping 18 wickets in just six matches at an economy of 5.34. The speed gun’s contribution will be important for RR in the upcoming game as he will support experienced Boult to wreak havoc on opponents.

Eyes will be set on leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal as he was one of the vital cogs in RR’s phenomenal campaign, last year. Fetching 27 wickets in 17 games at an economy of 7.75, he became the most impactful bowler for RR. He also became the recipient of the Purple Cap due to his mind-boggling performance. The veteran will look to carry on his excellent work for RR in the 2023 season as well. 

Impact player scenarios

If Rajasthan Royals bat first

Probable Impact Player: Navdeep Saini

Navdeep Saini might be added to the squad as an impact player in the match. Utilising his immense experience in domestic cricket, the pacer could deliver solid bowling figures to his team with the ball. In the domestic circuit, he has grabbed 330 wickets in more than 200 matches. 

If Rajasthan Royals bowl first

Probable Impact Player: Akash Vasisht

Akash Vasisht has showcased his batting skills a great many times in the domestic circuit. For his team Himachal Pradesh, he has amassed 1992 runs in 61 matches. Relying on his calm and composed batting attitude, RR could expect him to bat in the lower order and become a perfect partner to finishers such as Riyan Parag and Jason Holder.