RR IPL Auction 2025 Review: Rajasthan Royals build squad around promising bowlers but lack bench strength

Retaining six players (five capped and one uncapped) gives teams a huge jump-start. Rajasthan Royals (RR) had that at this mega-auction but the flip side was they could not dip into too many bidding wars, even for players who would have improved them considerably.

It was not for a lack of trying, though. Despite having only Rs 41 crore in the bank, they went shopping for Jofra Archer, who won the Most Valuable Player award in 2020 when representing the Royals. Maheesh Theekshana and Wanindu Hasaranga were also bought, adding more muscle and quality to their overseas ranks.

Your Royals of 2025. Built. Assembled. RReady! 💗🔥 pic.twitter.com/omIXIDQsF6

— Rajasthan Royals (@rajasthanroyals) November 25, 2024

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Among Indians, Tushar Deshpande was their most expensive buy. Nitish Rana, a former Kolkata Knight Riders captain, was also signed, although the splurge on Deshpande meant that they could only buy two more Indians for a price in excess of Rs 1 crore – pacer Akash Madhwal and 13-year-old batter (yes, you read that right) Vaibhav Suryavanshi.

RR 2025 Squad: Biggest strength

Their core. Which is kind of stating the obvious. At differing points, RR have invested in Dhruv Jurel, Riyan Parag, Sandeep Sharma, Shimron Hetmyer, Yashasvi Jaiswal and captain Sanju Samson, and it is now time for them to reap the rewards.

More importantly, their capped Indian retentions are flying high in international cricket, which will bring increased confidence, vigour and verve to whatever the Royals do.

Their bowling, in theory, also seems sorted. Archer can bowl at the start and at the end, as can Sandeep. Theekshana is another powerplay option, with Hasaranga a bona-fide wicket-taker through the middle overs. Deshpande, meanwhile, can bowl across phases and even though his economy rate is a smidgen higher than ideal, he has a knack of taking wickets.

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RR 2025 Squad: Biggest weakness

Their bench strength. Or lack of it. The Rajasthan Royals can put together an exceptional playing eleven/twelve (more on that further on). But if players start breaking down, they will have to scurry frantically for answers.

Speaking of breaking down, Archer and Hasaranga do not have the cleanest bills of health in world cricket (or in the IPL for that matter). And because RR’s financial planning left a bit to be desired at the auction, they only have two overseas fringe players they can rely upon, with neither of Kwena Maphaka or Fazalhaq Farooqi (both left-arm pacers, by the way) making a significant splash in their previous IPL stints.

Any #AfghanAtalan🇦🇫 fans in the houseeee? 🔥💗 pic.twitter.com/cIXA2GLzCL

— Rajasthan Royals (@rajasthanroyals) November 25, 2024

RR’s potential Indian replacements are also largely unknown quantities. While that may be a boon at times, that could morph into a bane in a trice, if asked to deputize for a key player at a crucial juncture.

RR at auction: What could they have done differently?

There is often not a simple, black-and-white answer to this. But RR have tried to make it as straightforward as possible. Just six overseas players (out of a possible eight) has left them severely stricken for options. They could also have been shrewder in Archer’s bidding, given that purchase left them playing catch-up for almost all of the auction that followed.

Players like Mayank Agarwal, Navdeep Saini, Prithvi Shaw, Piyush Chawla and Shivam Mavi – despite not being at the top of their games – would have been handy, and might have been available at base price (which wasn’t much), given they all went unsold.

RR: Early prediction for IPL 2025

RR have plenty of match-winners and that, irrespective of where and who they play, will make them a dangerous outfit. But IPL seasons are often a test of endurance rather than a dash to the line, and their lack of squad depth, over two and a half months of high-octane action, is probably what might pull the Royals down and make them miss the playoff bus.

RR: Probable playing XI/XII

Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sanju Samson (captain & wk), Nitish Rana, Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel, Shimron Hetmyer, Wanindu Hasaranga, Jofra Archer, Maheesh Theekshana, Sandeep Sharma, Tushar Deshpande, Akash Madhwal/Shubham Dubey

IPL Auction 2025: Players purchased by RR 

Jofra Archer (Rs 12.50 crore), Maheesh Theekshana (Rs 4.40 crore), Wanindu Hasaranga (Rs 5.25 crore), Kumar Kartikeya (Rs 30 lakh), Akash Madhwal (Rs 1.20 crore), Nitish Rana (Rs 4.20 crore), Tushar Deshpande (Rs 6.50 crore), Shubham Dubey (Rs 80 lakh), Yudhvir Singh Charak (Rs 35 lakh), Fazalhaq Farooqi (Rs 2 crore), Vaibhav Suryavanshi (Rs 1.10 crore), Kwena Maphaka (Rs 1.50 crore), Kunal Singh Rathore (Rs 30 lakh), Ashok Sharma (Rs 30 lakh)

RR full squad for IPL 2025 

Sanju Samson (Captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel, Shimron Hetmyer, Sandeep Sharma, Jofra Archer, Maheesh Theekshana, Wanindu Hasaranga, Kumar Kartikeya, Akash Madhwal, Nitish Rana, Tushar Deshpande, Shubham Dubey, Yudhvir Singh Charak, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Kwena Maphaka, Kunal Singh Rathore, Ashok Sharma.