5 Players Who You Didn't Know Once Played for the Rajasthan Royals
Published - 14 Jun 2018, 01:55 AM | Updated - 22 Aug 2024, 11:52 PM
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The Indian Premier League has been arguably the biggest T20 domestic tournament across the globe. Ever since it’s inception way back in 2008, the tournament has gone from strength to strength and have been a breeding ground for several young players. Over the years we have witnessed the emergence of several new stars who have taken the tournament by storm.
The inauguration edition of the tournament saw the Rajasthan Royals lifting the trophy. It was a big moment for the young side who were devoid of big names. Over the years there have been some stalwarts who have been associated with the franchise. Cricketers like Shane Warne, Rahul Dravid and Shane Watson have gone on to represent Rajasthan with a good amount of success. However, there are few players who didn’t have a great time with Rajasthan
Here are 5 such players who once played for Rajasthan but not many were aware of it.
Kamran Akmal
The Pakistani wicket-keeper batsman is not in the radar of international selection currently. He plays for the Peshawar Zalmi in the Pakistan Super League. He has gone on to represent Pakistan in 53 Tests, 157 ODI’s and 58 T20I’s.
It was in the first season of the IPL that Akmal was bought by the Rajasthan Royals. He was part of the triumphant team. Akmal played only 6 matches scoring 128 runs at an average of 25.60. He boasted of a sensational strike rate of 164.1.
He also managed 5 catches and 6 stumpings while keeping for Rajasthan. Akmal never played in the IPL after that as the Pakistan players were barred from taking part in the tournament.
Aaron Finch
The swashbuckling Aussie opener entered into the IPL record books this year when he became the first player to play for seven different franchises. He has been a veteran in the domestic circuit and has also been around the international circuit for a long time.
Finch plied his trade for the Rajasthan Royals in the 2010 edition of the tournament. It was a forgettable season for Finch as he appeared in a solitary match. He scored 21 runs against Kolkata Knight Riders in his only match.
Mohammad Kaif
He is arguably the greatest fielder India has ever produced. He was a regular feature in the Indian limited-overs side from 2002 to 2006. Kaif represented India in 13 Tests and 125 ODI’s. The inning of 85 in the Natwest Trophy final in 2002 remains the highlight of his career.
Kaif was bought by the Rajasthan Royals in 2008 and was part of the winning team. However, he was quite ordinary as an individual performer. He managed to score just 176 runs in 16 matches at an ordinary average of 16. He was axed from the team next year and was subsequently bought by the Kings XI Punjab.
Jacob Oram
The tall Kiwis all-rounder represented his national team for a decade. In the process, he played 33 Tests, 16 ODI’s and 36 T20I’s. Oram was bought by the Chennai Super Kings in the 2008 season and he played a couple of years for them.
It was in 2011 that Oram was signed by the Rajasthan Royals as a replacement for the injured Paul Collingwood. However, he didn’t manage to make a mark in the tournament. Oram played just a couple of matches. He didn’t bat in either of the games and bowled only 12 deliveries bagging a solitary wicket.
The former Australian middle-order batsman was regarded as one of the most stylish batsmen during his generation. Despite hanging his boots in 2006, Martyn continued playing in domestic cricket. He made his IPL debut for the Rajasthan Royals back in 2010.
However, he featured in just a solitary match against Bangalore. He was far from impressive scoring 19 of 24 deliveries. He was eventually axed from the squad and ended up playing just a single match in IPL.
