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Tag: Rajasthan Royals

  • Arshdeep Singh​ takes five wickets as Punjab Kings restrict Rajasthan Royals to 185 in IPL

    By PTI

    DUBAI: Opener Yashasvi Jaiswal (49) and Mahipal Lomror (43) starred with the bat but Punjab Kings pulled things back in the rear end to bowl out Rajasthan Royals for 185 in their IPL match here on Tuesday.

    Arshdeep Singh returned with a five-wicket haul after Mohammed Shami claimed three as the duo restricted Rajasthan inside the 200-mark after they were going hammer and tongs at one stage.

    Put into bat, Jaiswal was part of in two vital partnerships, adding 54 with his new opening partner Evin Lewis (36) and then sharing another 48 off 28 balls with Liam Livingstone (25).

    Lomror then smashed his way to a 17-ball 43, studded with four sixes and two fours.

    However, Punjab pulled things back in the end with Shami claiming two wickets to restrict RR inside 200.

    Earlier, Jaiswal smashed two successive fours in the first over off Shami, while debutant Lewis sent Ishan Porel, also playing his first match, sailing over for a six as RR had a flying start.

    The West Indies batsman punished Porel for bowling short and wide, blasting four boundaries in the fourth over.

    Deepak Hooda was then taken to the cleaners as he bled 13 runs.

    Left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh then produced the breakthrough, deceiving Lewis with a slower ball as Mayank Agarwal took a fine low catch.

    After the powerplay, RR were at 57 for one.

    Jaiswal then reverse swept England spinner Adil Rashid for a six, before depositing him over long off for another maximum.

    RR skipper Sanju Samson failed to make any impact as a terrific one-handed catch by KL Rahul ended his stay and gave Porel his maiden wicket.

    Livingstone then joined Jaiswal, who picked up another maximum off Rashid in the 9th over.

    Jasiwal raised the team hundred with another four off Harpreet Brar in the 11th over.

    Livingstone also tried to match his partner as he scooped one fine over KL Rahul and then smacked one over mid-wicket off Arshdeep.

    A sensational catch at deep midwicket by Fabian Allen sent Livingstone back to the hut with RR slipping to 116 for 3.

    Jaiswal couldn’t complete his fifty as his leading edge was held on to by Mayank at short cover.

    New man Lomror then went on a six-hitting spree, blasting two maximums off Rashid before sending Hooda for a couple more in the 16th over as RR crossed the 150-mark.

    Lomror also smashed two fours as Hooda conceded 24 runs off his second over.

    However, Shami and Arshdeep restricted their opponent to a competitive score in the end.

  • Punjab Kings skipper KL Rahul​ wins toss, elects to bowl against Rajasthan Royals

    By PTI

    DUBAI: Punjab Kings skipper KL Rahul won the toss and elected to field against Rajasthan Royals in their Indian Premier League (IPL) match here on Tuesday.

    Punjab have left out big-hitting Chris Gayle, and included Nicholas Pooran, Aiden Markram, Adil Rashid, Fabian Allen as the four foreign players in the playing XI.

    The Royals chose Evin Lewis, Liam Livingstone, Chris Morris and Mustafizur Rahman as their four overseas players.

    Teams:

    Punhab Kings: KL Rahul (C), Mayank Agarwal, Aiden Markram, Nicholas Pooran, Deepak Hooda, Fabian Allen, Adil Rashid, Ishan Porel, Harpreet Brar, Arshdeep Singh and Mohammed Shami.

    Rajasthan Royals: Sanju Samson (C), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Evin Lewis, Liam Livingstone, Mahipal Lomror, Riyan Parag, Rahul Tewatia, Chris Morris, Mustafizur Rahman, Chetan Sakariya and Kartik Tyagi

  • Rajasthan Royals planning to go one match at a time: Mustafizur Rahman

    By ANI

    DUBAI: Ahead of Rajasthan Royals’ match on Tuesday against Punjab Kings, the franchise’s Bangladeshi pacer Mustafizur Rahman has once again spoken on the need to focus on the process and says his team is “really excited to start off well.”

    “When you are playing in these conditions, it is important to start off well. I think if we can manage to maintain our process and are able to follow the things we’ve planned and execute them on the field, then we will definitely come out on top,” expressed the 26-year-old.

    Having helped his country to a first-ever T20I series win against New Zealand earlier this month, Mustafizur also commented on RR’s approach. “We don’t want to be looking too ahead of ourselves and want to just go match-by-match. We know what we want to do, and it is to win matches, and have a great IPL season, and I believe today will be the first of those matches. Everyone in the group is really excited to start off well.”

    The left-arm pacer currently has 8 wickets in 7 matches of IPL 2021, and refers to his time with the Royals so far as satisfying. “I think most teams in the IPL are very good, but I have absolutely enjoyed my time with the Royals. We are the first-ever champions of the IPL, and I feel really proud and satisfied to be able to perform for the franchise. I also feel really valued here and just hope to keep performing in the remainder of this season.”

    Disclosing what the four key factors to his good bowling form are, Mustafizur said, “For me, bowling doesn’t mean that you need to have several variations. I like to keep things simple, and I think I’ve got four key things that I do really well, which is to bowl — in the right areas, a good slower bowl, a quick yorker and a great bouncer.”

    “I believe it is not necessary to have too many things in your armoury but to focus on the things you do well,” he added.

    Having played in the UAE before, ‘The Fizz’ also added that the conditions will be familiar. “I’ve been there in 2014 to play at the U-19 Asia Cup, and I think the conditions there are very similar to what we find across Asia and even back home in Bangladesh. I also know it’ll be hot, but I’m not worried about it and am quite used to it,” he gushed.

    “I’m very confident with the boys coming in, they’ve all performed well at the international level and the franchise has chosen them because they have performed well. So, I feel we will have a strong unit.”

    Signing off, the pacer did agree that the IPL season will serve as good preparation for the T20 World Cup. “Obviously, it will be really good preparation for me because I can then go back when the World Cup starts and share information with my teammates on how the wickets were. Not all of my teammates are playing in the IPL, so I can pass on the knowledge, and I hope it will be very important for the team,” he expressed.

  • IPL 2021: As senior player, my role is to keep other players calm, says Chris Morris

    By ANI

    DUBAI:: Rajasthan Royals all-rounder Chris Morris on Monday said as an experienced player, his role would be to keep all the players within the franchise calm as the side gears up to lock horns against Punjab Kings in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 season.

    Rajasthan Royals will resume their campaign in IPL 2021 on Tuesday as the side will lock horns against Punjab Kings at the Dubai International Stadium.

    “We have so many experienced players in the team, I will be at mid-off and mid-on, I’ll be having a chat with the bowlers. If we pick anything, we always relay that to captain Sanju. As a senior player, the role is to keep the players calm and I think there is pressure on players, you always need an idea,” said Morris during a webinar organised by Rajasthan Royals.

    “Yeah, I will be doing it anyway, whether the likes of Jos Buttler or Ben Stokes are available or not, I have been doing that my whole career. I will be helping Sanju. It is a part of the gig I suppose,” he added.

    Rajasthan Royals is currently at the fifth position in the IPL points table. The side would now look to spring a collection of wins to race ahead in the marathon for playoffs.

    “I think match-readiness is probably going to be an issue. Same as IPL last year in Dubai, guys took a couple of matches to get rustiness out of their bones. I think the fortunate thing for us is that people have been playing a lot of cricket, especially overseas players. I have been pre-season at home, I think match-fitness is always the best type of fitness,” said Morris.

    “I think a few guys will struggle to get that rustiness off. It is natural and it is going to happen. This is the nature of the beast with COVID-19. So, I think it will be the case initially, some guys have to shake off the rustiness but that is part and parcel of the game. You have to find a way and make it work,” he added.

    When Rajasthan skipper Sanju Samson was asked about the X-factor in his side, he said: “Something secretive which we are keeping a surprise for the fans. You will get to know tomorrow when we play. You have to wait and watch.”

    “I think the first time it has happened, playing IPL for so many years so we have dealt with different challenges before. Earlier, the challenge was to come out of the COVID-19 times and play the IPL. This time we are keeping under a separate challenge, we played seven matches in India and now we have come here to play the rest of the tournament. We know how to tackle challenges as a team,” he added.

    Talking about whether Liam Livingstone can be used as a bowling option later in the season, Sanju said: “I think, yes maybe. It is very good to have a few people to have around who can chip in with some overs. Livingstone, Riyan Parag can do both the roles. We might see Liam bowl or we might not.” (ANI)

  • Want to create my own legacy, not to fill anyone’s shoes: Rajasthan Royals batsman Glenn Phillips

    By ANI

    DUBAI: Having produced some consistent batting blitz in recent times, New Zealand’s Glenn Phillips was snapped up by the Rajasthan Royals for the remainder of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 season, and even though he smashed his way to 254 runs in the Caribbean Premier League, the right-handed batter could not help the Barbados Royals secure a semi-final berth.

    “At first, I knew there were other players ahead of me, and then with players dropping out, this opportunity came about. There were a couple of other teams who wanted me, but the fact that I was playing for the Barbados Royals already, made sense for me to go with the Rajasthan Royals. I felt it was the right decision to stay with the same franchise,” said Phillips in an official release.

    “After I joined, Sanju Samson had sent a text welcoming me to the Royals so that was good to see. I had subsequent chats with Sangakkara but that was more of a general catch up because I’ve played with him before at the Jamaica Tallawahs,” added the 24-year-old.

    A born athlete who has ‘played every sport under the sun’, Phillips also added that he “will be happy to fit in wherever the team needs” him to. He continued, “Whether it’s opening, in the middle order, bowling, keeping wickets or wherever in the field, I’ll just do whatever the team needs for me to do.”

    Commenting on what the Royals’ fans can expect from him, the hard-hitting batter said, “I feel like I have the ability to control the pace of the game depending on what the situation is like regardless of the position I’m batting at. So, if you lose wickets, I feel like I have the batsmanship to be able to take the game deep and then accelerate at the end. Having power in my game does allow me to take it deep till the end and catch up. I can give the team a fast start as well, but also play the longer innings.”

    Reflecting on what’s ahead for the Rajasthan Royals this season, he stated, “From the perspective of our position on the table, being in the fifth spot is a nice little position at the moment because couple of wins from here and we’ll be well on our way to qualifying.”

    Even though he was announced as a replacement for Jos Buttler, Phillips reckons that he’s “a completely different player” to the Englishman. “The team has brought me in to do whatever role they need me to play, so it’s not really like I’m filling in Jos’ shoes, I’m probably filling in my own shoes and looking to create a legacy of my own rather than being a replacement.”

  • Rajasthan Royals batsman Manan Vohra looking to use lessons learnt from first leg for improved show in UAE

    By PTI

    DUBAI: Disappointed to have not capitalised on the opportunities in the first leg of the IPL, Rajasthan Royals batsman Manan Vohra aims to use all the learnings to put up an improved show when the T20 league resumes on September 19.

    The 28-year-old from Chandigarh could manage only 42 runs in the four matches that he played before the IPL was suspended in May due to multiple COVID-19 cases inside the bio-bubble.

    “I was a little disappointed because I felt I couldn’t capitalize on the starts that I got; however, it means that I had a lot of learnings from those outings and have prepared well for the second leg,” Manan said in a release issued by the franchise.

    A member of the Under-19 World Cup-winning team, Manan said time has come for the inaugural champions Rajasthan to reclaim the trophy and they have a lot of self-belief as they head into the T20 League.

    “As a group, we are all looking to win the trophy. It has been a long time since the franchise has won it,” said Manan, who was roped in by RR in 2019.

    “…the best thing is that everyone in our group believes that the team has the potential to make a mark once again. So, we’re aiming for the cup but will be mindful of taking it game by game.”

    Like million others, Manan too has the ambition to play for the country and said he intends to use the upcoming domestic season to make a case to the selectors.

    “Every player on the circuit has the same dream, and so do I. I definitely want to play for the Indian team. I think the upcoming domestic season again gives me a chance to get noticed,” said Manan, who has 1054 runs in 53 IPL matches at a strike-rate of over 130.

    “I’m playing for Chandigarh now and will be leading them, so I’m confident of taking my team to the latter stages of competitions through good performances, which will help me in making a case.”

    Manan’s teammate and friend Mayank Markande is hoping spin will again come into play just like last year with IPL back in UAE.

    “Our spinners had done a great job in the UAE last year, so I feel we’re back to utilizing our strengths well. We feel really confident going into this phase,” he said.

    Mayank couldn’t find a place in the Royals’ team during the first phase but he said he’s “happy to wait for his opportunities and understands that the conditions in India weren’t favouring the spinners too much” but knows that his “chance will come”.

    Talking about his transformation as a player, Mayank said: “When I first started playing IPL, I didn’t have much experience. But when I play now, I feel I’ve matured both as a player and as a person.

    “I think I’m mentally tough now and know how to deal with pressure, and bowl in challenging situations,” said the 23-year-old who had picked up 15 wickets in his debut IPL season in 2018.

    Having played one T20I for the Indian team, Mayank said he “dreams of making a comeback to the Indian team by performing well in the domestic circuit, and then consistently play for the nation at the highest level.”

  • After ‘depressing’ phase, spinner KC Cariappa looks at redemption with Rajasthan Royals 

    By PTI

    DUBAI: He burst into the IPL scene as a mystery spinner with an eye-popping INR 2.4 crore price tag but KC Cariappa couldn’t exactly set the stage on fire in the handful of games that he played.

    Six years hence and 29 T20 games which include a few for his state Karnataka and some for Kings XI Punjab (Punjab Kings), Cariappa, who put on weight after a “bout of depression” is now ready to sing the redemption song with Rajasthan Royals.

    A chance call from Royals top official Zubin Bharucha brought the Bengaluru man back on track.

    “I was just roaming around in Bengaluru and my fitness had taken a toll but that is when Zubin (Bharucha) sir called me to ask to come for the IPL trials.

    “I was shocked that someone is asking me to come for trials because I was lost almost for one year and weighed around 95kgs then. However, I went for it and bowled well,” Cariappa said in a press release issued by the Royals.

    In fact Bharucha enquired what’s wrong with him.

    “Zubin sir then called me and said, ‘I’ve been following you since 2015, but what is wrong with you? What is wrong with your fitness? We like your bowling but you have to get your fitness right.’ And that was the moment when I found the motivation again, and I worked really hard to get back into shape. So I’m really thankful to him (Bharucha) and to the Rajasthan Royals franchise for showing faith in me,” expressed an emotional Cariappa.

    Calling the upcoming season as one of the most crucial of his life, Cariappa said that he will use his opportunities to make a case for the Indian team.

    “I have been training really consistently during the off season, and it (the upcoming season) is very important because I’ve been waiting for a big opportunity for a long time, and every year I’ve been getting only a few matches,” he said.

    “….and sometimes they go well, sometimes they go bad. But if I get an opportunity again, I just want to do well and, in my head, I tell myself that I should be in the Indian team. I feel every cricketer aspires to play for his country and so do I,” signed off Cariappa.

  • Rajasthan Royals announce 13-year-old fan as their first-ever Junior Super Royal

    By ANI

    NEW DELHI: Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Rajasthan Royals on Saturday announced their first-ever Junior Super Royal, a 13-year-old superfan who hails from Guwahati, Assam, but has his roots firmly planted in Rajasthan — a perfect candidate to represent the thousands of Rajasthan Royals’ adolescent fans.

    The announcement was officially made to the young fan by Royals’ star all-rounder Riyan Parag, who paid a surprise visit to Aman’s home in Guwahati, ahead of the former’s departure for the UAE.

    What do you get to be the first Junior Super Royal?Spoiler – You’ll wish to be the next one! #RoyalsFamily | #HallaBol | @ParagRiyan pic.twitter.com/y7o07nF2ca
    — Rajasthan Royals (@rajasthanroyals) September 4, 2021
    Aman Agarwal, a student of 8th standard, hails from the city known as the Gateway of North-East India, and has been inducted into the Rajasthan Royals’ exclusive fan programme ‘Super Royals’ as a Junior Super Royal.

    As part of the programme, Aman will get the chance to work alongside 25 other Super Royals and the franchise, acting as one of Rajasthan Royals’ youngest ambassadors off the field, also forming a link between the organisation and the larger fan community outside the Super Royals.

    Excited to be given a once in a lifetime opportunity at such a young age, Aman expressed his delight, “I have been over the moon ever since I heard from our superstar Riyan Parag that my favourite team, Rajasthan Royals, has selected me as their Junior Super Royal. It is the first time the franchise has officially recognised such a young fan, and I’m proud to be getting the opportunity to participate in various activities and show my support for the team that I love.”

    “To expand this group to include a Junior Super Royal is very exciting, and I’m sure Aman will lead the way for millions of young fans around the world. We reward these incredibly loyal and valued fans with priceless experiences and extraordinary access to key individuals in our franchise, such as Riyan Parag’s surprise visit to Aman. We value them immensely and are grateful for all the support they provide. I’m delighted to welcome Aman to this group and look forward to seeing his impact,” said Jake Lush McCrum, CEO, Rajasthan Royals.

  • Resumption of IPL in UAE will stand Rajasthan Royals in good stead: Anuj Rawat

    By PTI

    RAMNAGAR: Rajasthan Royals wicketkeeper batsman Anuj Rawat, who made his IPL debut during the first phase earlier this year, feels resumption of the tournament in UAE will stand the former champions in “good stead”.

    The 21-year-old played a crucial role on the field for the Royals with three outstanding catches in their 55-run victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad.

    The Royals are currently placed fifth with six points from seven outings.

    “I was really happy that I could make my IPL debut for the Royals. It was unfortunate that the season was postponed but given our current position in terms of being fifth on the table, I think it puts us in good stead with respect to the resumption in the UAE,” said the youngster.

    The Royals were without the services of several players, including pacer Jofra Archer and all-rounder Ben Stokes, during the first phase of the tournament.

    “Remembering that some of our players had to depart and some were unavailable for most part of the competition, I believe it was a good overall performance from our team, and we are really confident of making the most of the next seven matches and give ourselves the best chance of making it to the playoffs,” Rawat was quoted as saying in a media release.

    Recollecting his debut, Rawat said full focus and energy in practice sessions paid rich dividends.

    “I had confidence in myself, and deep down, I had a feeling that I’ll get my chance when we go to the Delhi-leg of our matches because it’s my home stadium and I am well accustomed to those conditions.

    “When Sanga (Kumar Sangakkara) told me that I would be starting, it felt nice, and I was really motivated to go out there and do my best for the team,” he said.

    The youngster, who represents Delhi in domestic cricket, feels “the wickets in UAE really suits his batting, having experienced the conditions with the Royals in 2020.”

    “Now I’m looking forward to doing the same things again in the UAE, and help the team in whatever way I can, whether it’s on the field or with the bat.”

    A big fan of former India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Rawat had the chance to speak to the legend during the Royals’ match against Chennai Super Kings in Mumbai earlier this year.

    “I’ve been fortunate enough to have spoken to him a couple of times. This time I just asked him about what he meant when he said in an interview that an athlete should be honest with himelf or herself,” he said.

    “He replied by saying that an athlete should be honest with himself in terms of knowing what he’s doing right and what he’s doing wrong.

    “In essence, it meant that if you are feeling lazy one day and skip a training session, then you should know that it’s wrong, and that you’re the one who’s responsible for cheating your body.”

    Having represented India at the U-19 level, helping them win the U-19 Asia Cup in 2018, Rawat says he is not looking too far ahead and wants to focus on the upcoming IPL and domestic season.

    “My main focus is on the next seven matches in the IPL with the Royals, which are really important for the team and for myself.

    Post that, I’ll be focused on both red ball and white ball cricket, because if you perform well, there is scope for you to really progress and make a case to the selectors.”

  • I have made changes to my bowling action, reveals Rajasthan Royals pacer Jaydev Unadkat

    By PTI

    DUBAI: He had started the current IPL season on a bright note with a match-winning effort against Delhi Capitals and senior Rajasthan Royals speedster Jaydev Unadkat wants to carry on the good work, albeit with a tweak in his bowling action when the proceedings start in the UAE.

    Unadkat, who will be Royals’ most experienced bowler with 84 IPL games under his belt, in fact, took time off from social media to concentrate on the technical aspects of his bowling.

    “I have worked on some of the technicalities in my bowling. I wanted to make a few changes in my bowling action, so was working on that, and that itself requires a good amount of time, so I was devoted towards making those changes and getting used to them,” Unadkat was quoted as saying in a media release issued by Royals.

    “I wanted to do some work with my bowling and wanted to go off the attention a bit. It’s always nice if you can have some time with only yourself and the family, and not really listen to what the outside world has to say about you,” he elaborated.

    The highlight for Unadkat during the postponed first phase in India was 3/15 figures against DC which earned him Player of the Match award and he hopes to continue in the same vein.

    “It’s been a good start for the team and for me personally as well. That game (against DC) was crucial, I was coming back into the team, so I had to do well. I was pretty happy with the way I was bowling in that part of the season, and I’ll be looking to continue doing the same in this phase as well but with a few improvements that I’ve been working on during the off season.”

    Unadkat is expected to be a guiding force for the Royals bowling group, which also has young Chetan Sakariya in its ranks, who will be even more fired up after having made his international debut in Sri Lanka.

    “He’s (Sakariya) a very honest guy, keeps working hard for his game so it’s good to see him get rewarded. He’s been doing that for Saurashtra and now he did that for RR as well. So yes, really happy for him and I believe he’ll only learn and get better as he’s quite young.”

    Unadkat said that the duo have talked about the “technical aspects of bowling”, and Sakariya comes up to him “whenever he has doubts in his bowling”.

    The role of a mentor is not something new for Unadkat, he said.

    “I think I’ve been playing that role in our team for the past 2-3 years because of the experience I have in the IPL till now, and I quite like to do it. Nowadays to be honest, it’s not about one leader in the pack, everyone who is coming in has played at the highest level somewhere or the other down the line.”

    Unadkat believes the “conditions will be similar to last year.”

    “It is harder to bowl when the boundaries are smaller like in Sharjah because the batsmen are more confident of clearing the boundary, but you got to accept the challenge and find ways to bowl.

    “We know that those games are going to be high scoring, so you got to be aware that even if you get hit, you must come back stronger,” he said.

    On a batting belter like Sharjah, putting a plug on fours and sixes will be paramount.

    “It’s not about going for 24 runs or getting 2 wickets – it’s about restricting those boundaries. In a ground which is small, and has flat wickets, every single ball matters. We’ve played quite a few games on all the grounds last season, and the wickets and the weather are going to be similar, and we’re confident that we can do well,” he signed off.