Mumbai: Another battle of big-hitters is on the playing cards when KL Rahul’s Punjab Kings tackle the Sanju Samson-led Rajasthan Royals, two line-ups dotted with expansive stroke-makers and in pursuit of a winning start to their IPL campaigns right here on Monday.
Rajasthan can be banking closely on their swashbuckling all-rounder Ben Stokes. Stokes can be eager to get some runs underneath his belt and so would be the likes of Englishman Jos Buttler and newly-appointed skipper Samson, who’s a mine-field of expertise.
The Royals may decide to open with the highly-rated Yashasvi Jaiswal and Buttler. While Samson, who can be itching to show some extent, and Stokes would then type robust middle-order.
If the 4 hearth on all cylinders, they’ll pummel any assault into submission and Punjab can be no exception on the Wankhede observe, which is often batting-friendly.
Royals even have an a number of different choices at their disposal, together with all-rounders Shivam Dube, Shreyas Gopal, Rahul Tewatia, Riyan Parag and Liam Livingstone. Gopal, Tewatia and Parag, all bowl leg-spin, so it could be attention-grabbing to see whether or not the Royals decide to go in with two leg-spinners. Tewatia and Dube have the power to whack the ball outdoors the park and look to be certainties within the taking part in XI.
With star pacer Jofra Archer lacking due to damage, the tempo assault can have to be led by Rajasthan’s latest recruit — South African all-rounder Chris Morris, who can be keen to justify his enormous price ticket of Rs 16.25 crore.
RR can have to get their mixture proper as solely 4 foreigners could make the taking part in XI. So, it will likely be attention-grabbing to see whether or not Royals decide for left-arm pacer Mustafizur Rahman or go in with both Jaydev Unadkat, Kartik Tyagi or Chetan Sakariya.
Unadkat, together with his expertise, would possibly get the nod. On the opposite hand, Punjab boast of some hard-hitters like Rahul (670 runs in 2020 season), Mayank Agarwal (424 runs) and Chris Gayle.
Rahul and Agarwal fashioned a deadly opening mixture in 2020 and would proceed to open.
They even have the likes of Englishman Dawid Malan, one of many best T20 batsmen presently, hard-hitting Tamil Nadu batsman M Shahrukh Khan, and West Indian Nicholos Pooran.
For them too, it could be all about getting the mixture proper.
Shahrukh may get the nod forward of others like Deepak Hooda and Sarfaraz Khan, and will play the position of a finisher. The bowling assault can be led by Mohammed Shami, who was excellent within the final version. Their pacer line-up has been bolstered by the signing of Australian speedsters Jhye Richardson and Riley Meredith, who had a sensational Big Bash campaign, and in addition consists of Chris Jordan. It stays to be seen who takes the brand new ball with Shami.
With their spin assault a priority, Murugan Ashwin and Ravi Bishnoi can have to play their roles effectively to comprise a devastating Rajasthan line-up.
SQUADS:
Rajasthan Royals: Sanju Samson (c & wk), Jos Buttler (wk), Ben Stokes, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Manan Vohra, Anuj Rawat, Riyan Parag, David Miller, Rahul Tewatia, Mahipal Lomror, Shreyas Gopal, Mayank Markande, Andrew Tye, Jaydev Unadkat, Kartik Tyagi, Shivam Dube, Chris Morris, Mustafizur Rahman, Chetan Sakariya, KC Cariappa, Liam Livingstone, Kuldip Yadav, Akash Singh.
Punjab Kings: KL Rahul (c & wk), Mayank Agarwal, Chris Gayle, Mandeep Singh, Prabsimran Singh, Nicholas Pooran (wk), Sarfaraz Khan, Deepak Hooda, Murugan Ashwin, Ravi Bishnoi, Harpreet Brar, Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Ishan Porel, Darshan Nalkande, Chris Jordan, Dawid Malan, Jhye Richardson, Shahrukh Khan, Riley Meredith, Moises Henriques, Jalaj Saxena, Utkarsh Singh, Fabian Allen, Saurabh Kumar.
