They came close to winning their second IPL title last year before Gujarat Titans turned the 'Grand Finale' into an anti-climax but Rajasthan Royals will be itching to do one better this season.
Barring a few changes and some injury concerns, Royals have managed to keep their core team intact with more than a decent set of match-winners at their disposal.
Here's is a SWOT analysis of last season’s finalists:
STRENGHTS:
RR's strength lies mainly in their batting line-up. The team has opening batter Yashasvi Jaiswal, who is in ominous form.
Jaiswal scored an eye-catching 396 runs with an average of around 80 in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, besides possessing a terrific strike rate of 141.48 in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, where he piled up 266 runs. The left-hander also struck a hundred for India A against Bangladesh A.
RR's middle-order will be led by Joe Root and mercurial skipper Sanju Samson with Devdutt Padikkal, Shimron Hetmyer and the talented Riyan Parag for company.
With the experienced Indian duo of Ravichandran Ashwin and Yuzvendra Chahal and Australian Adam Zampa in their ranks, RR's spin department looks potent.
WEAKNESS:
The role of an all-rounder is of immense value in limited overs cricket and this one area RR could find itself short.
In West Indian Jason Holder, the team has only one quality all-rounder but the likes South African Donovan Ferreira and domestic recruits Abdul Basith and Akash Vashisht are yet to be tested at this level.
The 'Impact Player' rule could be a saving grace for Royals as it negates the role of an all-rounder in the set-up.
Bowling, especially pace department is another area which could be a cause of concern for the Jaipur-based franchise.
Barring Trent Boult, the pace attack looks ordinary. The absence of Prasidh Krishna, who has been ruled out of this season’s IPL due to a back stress fracture, has made things worse for RR. The onus would be on Navdeep Saini, Kuldeep Sen and West Indian Obed McCoy to deliver for the side.
If pace is a concern, the spin attack is safe in the hands of Ashwin, Chahal and Adam Zampa and is one of the best in the tournament.
OPPORTUNITIES:
With the pace department looking thin, the upcoming season could be a big opportunity for the likes of Saini, Sen, KM Asif and Delhi's left-arm fast bowler Kuldip Yadav to make a mark and make their presence felt.
Besides, the upcoming season is expected to provide opportunities to Holder and Zampa and the duo will be desperately looking to stamp their authority with impactful performances for their franchise in the tournament.
THREATS:
Going by past records, the tournament has not been a happy hunting ground for RR. After winning the inaugural title way back in 2008 under late Shane Warne's leadership, it has been a case of disappointments for the Jaipur-based side till last year, where they finished runners-up.
RR entered the play-offs only three times in the history of the tournament, and have also encountered the ignominy of suspension for two years.
But come this edition, the Kumar Sangakkara-coached side would look pull all their resources together and dish out a consistent performance to end on the right side of things.
