IPL 2018: Rajasthan Royals Auction Ratings

One of the eight-team franchises, Rajasthan Royals have maintained their defensive ploy while going for some exception buys across two-day auction in Bengaluru on 27 and 28 January, in a bid to build-up a squad to eye their overall second title after featuring in eight editions of the Indian Premier League (IPL) so far.

Widely known as the money-ball team, the Jaipur based franchise has inducted 23 players in the squad.

Inaugural IPL title winners in 2008:

Making some record, Royals side was crowned as champions in the first edition of the IPL when the idea of Lalit Modi was backed by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI.

With 169 overall including 56 overseas competitors were sold after as many as 578 players were bound to go under the hammer during the much-awaited auction which has always added the sparkle regarding young faces achieving the riches, and Krishnappa Gowtham is one such example who got inducted in INR 6.2 crore by Royals.

The strategy of Royals to bank on the strength:

As England’s all-round sensation Ben Stokes has become the hot-property of the IPL, the left-handed batsman grabbed the headlines for topping the auction charts with the staggering amount of INR 12.5 crore from Royals.

What unfolded on the first day for Royals:

Off to the slow start, Royals made some bold choices and costliest buys to pick Stokes, Ajinkya Rahane, Stuart Binny, Sanju Samson, Jos Buttler D’Arcy Short, Jofra Archer and Rahul Tripathi, who has been such an entertainer in the tenth edition of IPL for now-defunct Rising Pune Supergiant(s).

Could have been a diligent buy:

While hinging on some game changers, Royals bagged nine players on the first day before settling with some promising youngsters to bag as many as 14 on the second day of the auction which has witnessed plenty of drama in multiple sets hosted by renowned British auctioneer Richard Madley.

Moreover, while making a couple of right choices, Royals settled with Jaydev Unadkat in INR 11.5 crore, who could have been added more diligently on the franchises return to the IPL fold.

Some great pickings for Royals:

While setting the horizon on the core, Royals were delighted to have Ajinkya Rahane, who was the great buy for the side in INR 4 crore. Alongside gloveman Jos Buttler (INR 4.4 crore) and hard-hitting Australian sensation, and all-rounder D’Arcy Short (INR 4 crore), who has been the highest in the Big Bash League’s seventh edition has been bought.

Sanju Samson further backs the core and all-rounder Stuart Binny which saw Royals somewhat stood tall owing to the blend of youth and experience.

Platform for the young talent:

Royals have always been vocal about unearthing the local talent which further saw the domestic players when solely picked on the impressive showing, as the management is expecting them to live up to the expectations in the T20 league.

Exciting young talent and Windies-born Archer could be one of the players to watch out for in the IPL edition after enjoying his Big Bash League stint.

The strong overseas connection had continued to dominate the IPL franchise, as the affair with Australian would cherish the stage, as the leader which could be further understood on the maiden entry when leg-spin veteran Shane Wane led the side to glory.

Royals inducted ten all-rounders, six batsmen and seven bowlers in the balanced-looking side and the management would take eight rating points home in ten while going for a couple of prominent faces in the batting department after retaining Steven Smith as a solitary pick in INR 12.5 in the retention list on January 4 in Mumbai.

Here’s the 23-member squad of Rajasthan Royals:

Steve Smith (skipper), Ben Stokes, Ajinkya Rahane, Sanju Samson, Stuart Binny, Jos Buttler, Rahul Tripathi, D’Arcy Short, Prashant Chopra (Wk), Jofra Archer, Sudhesan Midhun, Ben Laughlin, Jatin Saxena, Aryaman Birla, Dhawal Kulkarni, Jaydev Unadkat, Shreyas Gopal, Krishnappa Gowtham, Ankit Sharma, Anureet Singh, Mahipal Lomror, Dushmantha Chameera and Zahir Khan.

For the extensive IPL coverage details follow here: Indian Premier League, 2018