Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra highlighted key issues facing the 2008 IPL champions Rajasthan Royals as they gear up for the upcoming 19th season of the Indian Premier League (IPL), commencing on March 28.
Chopra, in a video shared on X, assessed the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of the Rajasthan Royals squad for IPL 2026. He expressed concerns over the absence of all-rounder Sam Curran, who is likely to miss the tournament due to a groin injury, as reported by ESPNcricinfo following his impressive performance in the recent ICC T20 World Cup 2026.
The absence of Sam Curran poses a challenge for Rajasthan Royals, particularly in the batting lineup, as highlighted by Chopra. He questioned who would fill the No. 8 batting position and suggested the inclusion of Nandre Burger to address this issue.
Despite the setback, Chopra praised the team’s batting and bowling units, emphasizing their explosive batting lineup with players like Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Riyan Parag, and others. He also commended the bowling department for its versatility and improvement, mentioning key players like Jofra Archer, Sandeep, and Tushar in the pace-bowling unit.
Chopra sees the upcoming season as a significant opportunity for new captain Riyan Parag to showcase his leadership skills. He highlighted the potential of players like Dhruv Jurel and Yashasvi Jaiswal to excel and emphasized the team’s strategy of maintaining an aggressive approach in batting and focusing on early wicket-taking in bowling.
Rajasthan Royals are scheduled to kick off their campaign against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on March 30 at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati.
