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3 Auction Blunders That Could Bite Rajasthan Royals at IPL 2025
Introduction
toEqualitarianImageRajasthan Royals made a few potentially costly mistakes while reconstructing their side for the IPL 2025. As the team gears up for the upcoming season, it’s crucial to analyze these blunders and their potential impact on the team’s performance.
Not Retaining Jos Buttler and Failure to Get an Alternative
Rajasthan Royals had a seven-year highly successful association with Jos Buttler. In this period, the Englishman was the best opening batter in the IPL, with 3055 runs at an average of 41.8 and strike rate of 147.8. He has been the best batter for the Royals during this time, but in order to secure the future stars, they opted against retaining him. At the IPL 2025 auction, they tried to buy him back, engaging in a bidding war with Gujarat Titans. Rajasthan Royals went till INR 9.25 crore before giving up. If not getting Buttler back wasn’t a big enough blunder, RR also failed to get an alternative overseas opener. As a result, they will have to pair Yashasvi Jaiswal with an inexperienced or inconsistent Indian option.
Dhruv Jurel – An Expensive Punt by Rajasthan Royals?
The Royals made an important call to back their young Indian players, who can go on to play for them in years to come. They retained Sanju Samson, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel, and Sandeep Sharma along with Shimron Hetmyer. However, spending INR 14 crore to acquire Jurel turned out to be a topic of debate. The 24-year-old has played two full seasons for RR, scoring 347 runs at a strike rate of 151 while averaging just 23. They obviously looked at the potential and his age to make this decision, but perhaps the price tag just looks too high.
No Overseas Batting Options Apart from Shimron Hetmyer
It was quite surprising to see Rajasthan Royals not secure any overseas batting option in the IPL 2025 auction. They bought three overseas seamers and two spinners, filling six of the allocated eight spots. Shimron Hetmyer has had fitness issues in the past, and if he gets injured for a few games, they would find themselves in a disastrous position. The Royals have two vacant batting spots, which are likely to be filled by Nitish Rana and one other domestic youngster. On paper, it doesn’t seem to be an intimidating lineup, and if one of them gets sidelined, they would have to rely on inexperienced domestic batters.
Conclusion
Rajasthan Royals will need to regroup and reassess their strategy if they want to make a deep run in the IPL 2025. The above-mentioned mistakes could cost them dearly, and it’s essential to address these issues quickly. The team needs to find an effective opening partnership, solidify their overseas batting options, and make the most of their domestic talents. With Josh Hazlewood and Randy Bist, Royals have a stable bowling attack, but their batting lineup looks fragile. If they don’t make some crucial changes, it could be a long season for the yellow and red.
What’s Your Take? Do you think Rajasthan Royals made the right call by not retaining Jos Buttler? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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