Rajasthan Royals Best Possible Playing 11 for IPL 2022: Focus on openers and all-rounders

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Bengaluru, February 16: Rajasthan Royals (RR) has built a good squad dominated by Indian star players at the IPL 2022 Mega Auction, but lack an all-rounder capable of turning matches.

Royals retained skipper Sanju Samson, England wicketkeeper-batter Jos Buttler and young opener Yashasvi Jaiswal ahead of the IPL Auction, where they needed to add all-rounders and bowlers. And they managed to partially do the job.

RR stacked their bowling options with Indians premium spinners Ravichandran Ashwin and Yuzvendra Chahal along with New Zealand pace spearhead Trent Boult, Indian pacers Prasidh Krishna and Navdeep Saini.

In pace department, RR has also added West Indies' Obed McCoy and Australia's Nathan Coulter-Nile. However, the Royals may have failed to add a game-changing all-rounder despite ending the auction with the purchase of New Zealand duo James Neesham and Daryl Mitchell. And they also bought back Riyan Parag for an excessive fee.

In batting, they are spoilt for choices in the opening slots with India opener Devdutt Padikkal bought in the auction in addition to the retained duo of Jaiswal and Buttler. So, if all three are available RR may use Padikkal and Buttler as openers with Jaiswal probably batting at 3 or 4.

RR could have also used the money spent on West Indies batter Shimron Hetmyer on a match-winning all-rounder, who could finish matches, especially if they were going after someone like Padikkal also a left-hander like the West Indian.

Addition of India's Karun Nair and South Africa's Rassie van der Dussen seem shrewd investment by the inaugural champions, who aim to win their second title.

Now, with the squad assembled, let's take a look at the best possible playing 11 for Rajasthan Royals if everyone is fit and available.

RR Squad for IPL 2022

Batters: Devdutt Padikkal, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shimron Hetmyer (overseas), Rassie van der Dussen (overseas), Karun Nair

Wicketkeepers: Sanju Samson (captain), Jos Buttler (overseas), Dhruv Jurel

All-rounders: Riyan Parag, Ravichandran Ashwin, James Neesham (overseas), Daryl Mitchell (overseas), Anunay Singh, Shubham Garhwal

Fast Bowlers: Prasidh Krishna, Trent Boult (overseas), Navdeep Saini, Kuldip Yadav, Nathan Coulter-Nile (overseas), Kuldeep Sen, Obed McCoy (overseas)

Spinners: Yuzvendra Chahal, K.C. Cariappa, Tejas Baroka

RR Best Possible Playing XI

1. Jos Buttler

2. Devdutt Padikkal

3. Sanju Samson

4. Yashasvi Jaiswal

5. Shimron Hetmyer

6. Riyan Parag

7. R Ashwin

8. Nathan Coulter-Nile

9. Trent Boult

10. Yuzvendra Chahal

11. Prasidh Krishna