IPL 2021: Predicted lineups for Rajasthan Royals vs Punjab Kings

Day Four of the 14th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) will see Rajasthan Royals (RR) and Punjab Kings (PBKS) battle it out in their first game of the season. Both sides have been perennial underachievers. The Royals have not won the crown since the tournament’s inaugural season in 2008, while the closest Punjab came to glory was 2014 when they lost the final to the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). The Royals broke the bank in the recent auction when they signed South African all-rounder Chris Morris for Rs 16.25 crore, making him the most expensive player in IPL history. If the inaugural champions are to repeat their 2008 season, he will undoubtedly play a key role.

Punjab’s strength lies in its top order. The likes of captain KL Rahul, David Malan, Mayank Agarwal, and Mandeep Singh will look to get the team off to a flying start. Their bowling attack can also be effective with veteran bowlers like Mohammad Shami, Chris Jordan, and young spinner Ravi Bishnoi. 

Here are the predicted starting lineups for both sides:

RAJASTHAN ROYALS

Liam Livingstone: Have you ever heard of an individual player scoring 350 runs in an ODI? Well, that is exactly what Livingstone did for his club Nantwich CC. That too off just 138 balls. The Englishman has played 128 T20s and has 3,000 runs to his name. The Royals will be banking on this kind of form against bowlers like Shami and Jordan. 

Ben Stokes: This man’s records speak for themselves. Bat, bowl, field, he can do it all. Stokes is one of the top all-rounders of the world at the moment for a reason. He is a World Cup-winner and an influential personality on the pitch. He can take the game away from the opposition in any department if he is in form, and he usually is.

Sanju Samson (Captain, WK): Sanju Samson has been a reliable name for the Royals for several years now and is a much-deserved captain. He is as consistent as they come as a wicketkeeper and also possesses the ability to play long, destructive innings.

Jos Buttler: His team might have lost the recently concluded T20I series against India, but Buttler was the silver lining for England. He finished as the second-highest run-getter of the series and also scored the highest individual score of 83. He is an exceptional fielder and can also be relied upon behind the stumps. 

Shivam Dube: Dube might have had an unimpressive IPL last year, but that does not take away his capabilities with bat and ball. The left-handed all-rounder has enjoyed impressive domestic records for Mumbai and will be looking to bring those qualities into the IPL. 

Riyan Parag: Parag still holds the record for being the youngest ever player to score a half-century in the IPL, and while he had a season to forget in 2020, he will be hoping to change that this season. He was also part of India’s World Cup-winning U-19 side in 2018. 

Chris Morris: This one comes as no surprise. Morris was by far the most expensive player in the latest IPL auction and also the costliest player in the tournament’s history. The all-rounder is a game-changer, a match-winner, and will be looking to do exactly that for his new IPL franchise.

Shreyas Gopal: The all-rounder is a very talented leg-spinner who took as many as 20 wickets in the 2019 season for the Royals, and 10 in 2020. He might not have scored many runs due to his batting position but is capable of playing useful quickfire cameos. 

Jaydev Unadkat: The veteran fast bowler will be looking to rejuvenate his career. Ever since the 2017 season, Unadkat has been unable to pick more than 15 wickets in an IPL season, but he is an experienced cricketer who can take wickets at the most crucial times.

Chetan Sakariya: With Archer unavailable, all eyes will be on the young pacer from Saurashtra, should he start. His impressive performances in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and the Vijay Hazare trophy will be something he would be hoping to repeat. 

Kartik Tyagi: Tyagi had an impressive run with the national side in the U-19 World Cup, 2020, where he picked up 11 wickets. He also delivered a decent performance in the previous IPL, picking nine wickets in 10 games. 

PUNJAB KINGS

KL Rahul (Captain, WK): Arguably the best batsman in the Punjab side, Rahul had an unbelievable IPL in 2020. He scored a whopping 670 runs with a highest score of 132 not out. His fortunes might have fluctuated a bit at the international level recently, but there is no doubt that he is Punjab’s talisman. 

Mayank Agarwal: A long-time friend of the captain, Mayank has proven himself time and again for PBKS at the top of the order, and this season too will not be different. He scored 424 runs last season with a highest score of 106, at a strike rate of over 156. 

Dawid Malan: The Englishman is ranked number one in the world in the T20 format. That is enough for him to start any game. His consistency in the domestic and international circuit is scary good and he will be hoping to carry that into the IPL. 

Mandeep Singh: Mandeep made his mark in the IPL with the Punjab Kings last season where he scored 130 runs in 7 games, including a powerful knock of 66. He is an explosive batsman and a crucial weapon in Punjab’s middle-order. 

Moises Henriques: Henriques has been part of the Indian Premier League since 2009. His experience will be an asset fo KL Rahul as will his all-round abilities. Henriques has always been a consistent batsman, but instead of making big runs, he usually plays those short yet effective cameos to push a team’s total just that much higher.

Shahrukh Khan: You know it is not who you are thinking. He is, however, a match-winning batsman who was part of the Tamil Nadu side that emerged victorious in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, 2021. His blistering power-hitting helped Tamil Nadu win the quarter-finals and the final. Shahrukh will be looking to bring that form into the IPL. 

Jhye Richardson: The Aussie fast bowler is a deadly combination of raw pace and pinpoint accuracy. What makes him even scarier is how consistently he does it. Richardson will be key against the likes of Stokes, Buttler and Samson in Punjab’s opening game. 

Ravi Bishnoi: The young leg-spinner really came into his own last season when he took 12 wickets in 14 games. He will be looking forward to picking up where he left off, especially with the objective of impressing the selectors ahead of the T20 world cup. 

Murugan Ashwin: The leg-spinner, much like Bishnoi, also came into the limelight last season thanks to his impressive performances with the ball which he would be hoping to continue into this season. Murugan took 10 wickets in 9 games for PBKS in 2020. 

Mohammad Shami:  A veteran of the game and one of India’s finest fast bowlers, Shami will have the job of leading the Punjab pace attack, something he has proven that he can handle. He took an incredible 20 wickets in 14 games in the previous season. 

Chris Jordan:  The English pacer will be somewhat at ease bowling in Indian conditions thanks to the recently concluded India vs England series. He picked up 9 wickets in 9 games last season and also had a decent showing in the series between India and England.