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IPL 2021: 5 overseas players RR can target
Shakib and Jhye Richardson are the targets of Rajasthan Royals
Rajasthan Royals had a couple of miserable seasons, finishing the 7th in the Indian Premier League (IPL) in 2019 and 8th in the 2020 IPL with a combined 11 wins across two seasons. The Royals have struggled for consistency and have failed to maintain the right balance. One of its key reasons is that they have been changing their middle-order batting line-up in the last couple of seasons.
Rajasthan Royals has released Steve Smith and appointed Sanju Sanson as its captain for the coming IPL. The franchise team has retained 16 players and can buy a maximum of 9 players at the auction for the forthcoming League. Three of the 9 players can be foreign players. In the auction for IPL 2021, 5 overseas players RR can target. They have a budget of more than Rs 37 crores to revive its middle-order.
James Neesham
The Kiwi all-rounder might be a positive contender, being one of the IPL 2021: 5 overseas players RR can target. Neesham had a wonderful season in Big Bash, capturing 8 wickets and scoring 65 runs in 5 matches. Neesham also has impressive statistics of 1927 runs in 138 T20s and amassed 130 wickets in as many matches. He has however played in 24 T20Is and scored 250 runs as well as captured 16 wickets so far. RR will be benefited if they can rope in Neesham as his presence will strengthen the middle-order of the RR batting line-up.
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Riley Meredith
The young Australian right-arm fast bowler had impressive performances in the Big Bash League (Australian T20 franchise League) in recent times. His sheer pace and variety of swing have already drawn the attention of the national selectors and Meredith has already acquired a place in Australia's Twenty20 squad against New Zealand.
Meredith has captured 43 wickets in 34 Twenty20 matches at an economy rate of 8.06 and for the Hobart Hurricanes, the fast bowler had scalped 16 wickets in 13 matches in the BBL this year. Jofra Archer, the leading fast bowler of RR did not get the required support from his RR mates. He was the only one who took more than 10 wickets for RR in the last season. Kartik Tyagi who was roped in as a support bowler of Jofra Archer had a poor form. From that point of view, RR will be benefitted a lot if they buy Riley Meredith.
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Ben McDermott
Ben McDermott is the son of famous Australian fast bowler Craig McDermott. But Ben is mainly a power-hitter batsman and extremely suitable for his ability to execute big lofted shots over the fencing. Ben who is suitable for the Twenty20 format also bowls medium pace occasionally. He also plays for Hobart Hurricanes in the Big Bash League. Ben has already scored 1660 runs in 73 T20 matches at a strike rate of 130.07. The 26-year old Ben had an excellent show in the BBL this season, scoring 402 runs in 12 matches at a strike rate of nearly 140.
Rajasthan Royals must be looking for an overseas batsman who can steer the innings to a formidable total, batting at number three or fourth position, and in that case, McDermott will surely be IPL 2021: 5 overseas players RR can target.
Shakib Al Hasan
The Bangladeshi all-rounder is likely to be one of the most wanted cricketers in the forthcoming auction for the IPL scheduled to be held on 18th February in Chennai. Shakib Al Hassan predominantly bats at the number four position and can bowl during any stage of the game which has made him a valuable player in the shortest format of the game. Rajasthan Royals must try to get him in the auction. Shakib has scored 5080 runs and 360 wickets to his name in 317 matches in the T20 format. He also has inspiring statistics in the IPL, scoring 746 runs in 63 matches and scalped 59 wickets. The 33-yar old all-rounder with experience of eight years in the IPL can be a perfect replacement for Steve Smith.
Jhye Richardson
Jhiye Richardson might be one of the biggest purchases in the forthcoming IPL auction in absence of Mitchell Starc. Richardson, who is already a member of Australia’s Twenty20 squad, can generate speed like Starc, and additionally, Richardson can consistently bowl in the block-hole that restricts any batsman to hit big shots in the slog overs. Richardson who has already captured 78 wickets in 62 Twenty20 matches has picked up 27 wickets in 16 matches in the BBL this season for Perth Scorchers at an economy rate of only 12.07 and it was his performance that guided his franchise team to the final of the competition. RR will be benefitted if they can buy Jhye Richardson who will be a perfect bowler to support the team’s key bowler Jofra Archer.
