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Under Samson, Rajasthan have done quite well in the last couple of years but now will be desperate to go the distance.
The Rajasthan Royals won the inaugural IPL in 2008 but have failed to add another title ever since. They reached the final in 2022 but fell short against the Gujarat Titans. Now, in IPL 2024, they're aiming to end the long wait. The Royals have played some exciting cricket in recent years, with explosive batting and impressive bowling. But consistency has been their Achilles heel. They've often followed brilliant performances with frustrating losses.
To win the title, the Royals need to find a way to sustain their form throughout the tournament. Their batting lineup, featuring stars like Jos Buttler, Sanju Samson and Shimron Hetmyer, needs to fire consistently. Their bowling attack, led by Trent Boult and Yuzvendra Chahal, also needs more depth.
It remains to be seen if they put up a good show in the upcoming season. The talent is there, but the question is whether they can find the discipline and resilience to go all the way. IPL 2024 will be a test of their character and their determination to reclaim their place among the IPL's elite.
SWOT analysis of RR
Strength
Rajasthan Royals have an enviable batting line-up that can send chills down the spine of any bowling attack. In the form of Jos Buttler and Yashasvi Jaiswal, they have two dashing and dynamic opners who can take the game away from oppositions in the powerplay itself. Buttler has a proven track record for Rajasthan while Jaiswal had a breakout season earlier this yer. Then, they have their taslismanic skipper, Sanju Samson is nearing his peak. The middle order comprises the likes of Shimron Hetmyer, Rovman Powell and the young Dhruv Jurel who are all extremely dangerous and flamboyant.
Their spin-bowling line-up is also a massive strength as they have in their ranks, three experienced men, Ravichandran Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal and Adam Zampa.
Weakness
Their fast bowling remains a concern as the likes of Prasidh Krishna and Navdeep Saini have not had too much game time in recent times. The two of them also have a tendency to leak runs at times and that will put a lot of pressure on Trent Boult. If opposing teams exploit the Royals' pace bowling weakness, Boult and the spin trio might face increased pressure. The lack of genuine all-rounders is also a concerning matter for them which will make them heavily reliant on the impact player rule.
Opportunites
The tournament presents a huge opportunity to Riyan Parag who has been backed to the absolute core by the Royals' team-management. the rope might not be too long now which makes it crucial for the young man to make it count. Rovman Powell also has the opportunity to get a consistent run this time around having received very few chances in IPL 2023. He will have the company his countryman, Shimron Hetmyer which will make the job a little easier. It is crucial that he performs well and settles into the side for the forseeable future.
Threats
The biggest threat for the Royals is the fact that Jos Buttler has been in pehaps the worst form of his life in recent times. They desperately need 'Jos the Boss' to fire in IPL 2023. Then, there is the issue that Powell and Hetmyer have against spinners. While they areexcellent players of pace, they do not boast of good records against spin. Hence, it iwll not be easy going for the duo, especially on slower surfaces like in Chennai and Lucknow. Teams will be wary of this and will try to exploit the glaring hole. The duo must up their game to come out on top against the spinner as their role in the middle-order is crucial if Rasjasthan has to make progress in IPL 2023.