RR Team Preview: Is Moneyball 2.0 On The Cards for the Royals?
Inaugural IPL champions Rajasthan Royals are an intriguing side. They have blown hot and cold but have never ceased to amaze us. The manner in which they won the inaugural season was staggering. They didn't have any big names and relied on certain individuals to come up trumps based on match-ups and strategies. Fast forward to 2021, the Royals are back again with their Moneyball strategy. Only this time, they've got a better side to pull it off in the IPL. While Sanju Samson, the new RR captain, has a lot on his plate but one thing's for sure, the Royals cannot be taken lightly at any cost. Before we venture into the Sixer Market aspects, here's how the Royals may line up in the IPL!Team Insight: Rajasthan Royals might not boast of many big names like Mumbai Indians or even Chennai Super Kings do, but they pack a punch. Be it with the ball or bat, Royals look well-equipped this time around. Although Archer is out for a few weeks, they have a capable overseas contingent of pacers, with Mustafizur Rahman being key to their fortunes early on. All eyes will be on Stokes and Buttler, who is rumoured to be opening the batting for RR. Although this might not be the ideal scenario for the Royals, it is a decent opportunity for fantasy shareholders to pile on the stocks in the Sixer Market!Strongest Possible XI*: Buttler (wk), Jaiswal, Samson (c), Dube, Stokes, Parag, Tewatia, Morris, Archer, Gopal and TyagiPlayers To Watch Out For:Sanju Samson (47.90 Sixer Coins): There's always doubt and hype around Samson heading into an IPL season. While the hype around him is largely due to his charismatic batting ability, the doubt is over his consistency. Samson hasn't quite lit an IPL season as he would love to. Although he had a couple of IPL tons to his name, Samson would be eyeing a 500-run season for sure this time around. With a spot at number three and added responsibility, this could bring out the best from Samson, whose fantasy stock is bound to be in high demand.Ben Stokes (63.30 Sixer Coins): If anyone was sceptical of Ben Stokes in the white-ball format, surely you must have missed his ICC World Cup 2019 Final performance. Or his sensational ton against eventual champions Mumbai Indians in IPL 2020. Or even his more recently knock against India in Pune, where he nearly scored a 100 in less than 50 balls. He is in decent form and adding the facts that he could open the batting adds value to his fantasy stocks. If he were to sustain his newfound form, Ben Stokes could propel both RR and his fantasy shareholders to some much-needed success this IPL.Jos Buttler (50.10 Sixer Coins): One of four Englishmen in the RR books, Jos Buttler has been their best acquisition over the last few years. Ever since he was promoted to the top of the order, Buttler has seen a marked change in his fortunes and has been billed one of the best in the business. Although he had to drop down to a middle-order role last year, Buttler didn't disappoint. He still managed a match score average of over 50, which, if he does replicate this year, could be highly beneficial for his fantasy shareholders. But only time will tell if he can do so!Chris Morris (60.40 Sixer Coins): One of the main reasons RR walk into this season with a better chance of glory is the addition of Chris Morris. The South African earned the big bucks in the auction, and rightly so. His record in the death overs is staggering. Not to mention his brute hitting ability in the backend. Combining his talents with that of Jofra Archer is absolute gold-dust and it is this prospect that has the Royals' fans salivating. But can he overcome his injury concerns and lead RR back into the playoffs? That is a question that can earn a few bucks in the Real Market.With perhaps the best overseas contingent of all franchises, Royals have truly embarked on a journey to replicate their rags to riches story of IPL 2008. But against heavyweights Mumbai and Delhi, can they continue to hold their own? Even if they don't, let's hope their players* - This is the author's opinion and has nothing to do with Sixer. The side may or may not be the final XI.