Interesting developments have taken place at Rajasthan Royals recently, as Sanju Samson is close to find a new base and won't be playing for the Royals for IPL 2026. With the skipper departing, it has put RR in a bad situation, where they seriously lack squad depth and need to do a lot of work for the next edition.
In IPL 2025, Rajasthan underwent a major overhaul, and let go of plenty of top talents like Jos Buttler, Trent Boult and Yuzvendra Chahal. Further, the Men in Pink finished ninth on the table with just four wins in the entire tournament. Meanwhile, this article will shed light on what key decisions RR should take before IPL 2026 to return to their prime form.
1. No depth in the middle-order Rajasthan Royals have found a solid top-order, but their middle-order remains weak, and they need to bring in players who can show positive intent. RR need to replicate what RCB did in IPL 2025, as Tim David was one of the key contributors behind Bengaluru's title-winning season.
Similarly, Shimron Hetmyer, Dhruv Jurel, and Shubham Dubey need to step up or be released to bring in more attacking middle-order players, who fit the demands of the game. Let's look at how Rajasthan Royals middle-order batters has performed in IPL 2025.
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Strike-Rate Select Add Row Above Add Row Below Add Column Right Add Column Left Delete Row Delete Column Delete Table
Shimron HetmyerSelect Add Row Above Add Row Below Add Column Right Add Column Left Delete Row Delete Column Delete Table 13Select Add Row Above Add Row Below Add Column Right Add Column Left Delete Row Delete Column Delete Table 239Select Add Row Above Add Row Below Add Column Right Add Column Left Delete Row Delete Column Delete Table 21.73Select Add Row Above Add Row Below Add Column Right Add Column Left Delete Row Delete Column Delete Table 145.73Select Add Row Above Add Row Below Add Column Right Add Column Left Delete Row Delete Column Delete Table Riyan ParagSelect Add Row Above Add Row Below Add Column Right Add Column Left Delete Row Delete Column Delete Table 14Select Add Row Above Add Row Below Add Column Right Add Column Left Delete Row Delete Column Delete Table 393Select Add Row Above Add Row Below Add Column Right Add Column Left Delete Row Delete Column Delete Table 32.75Select Add Row Above Add Row Below Add Column Right Add Column Left Delete Row Delete Column Delete Table 166.53Select Add Row Above Add Row Below Add Column Right Add Column Left Delete Row Delete Column Delete Table Shubham DubeySelect Add Row Above Add Row Below Add Column Right Add Column Left Delete Row Delete Column Delete Table 8Select Add Row Above Add Row Below Add Column Right Add Column Left Delete Row Delete Column Delete Table 106Select Add Row Above Add Row Below Add Column Right Add Column Left Delete Row Delete Column Delete Table 26.50Select Add Row Above Add Row Below Add Column Right Add Column Left Delete Row Delete Column Delete Table 160.61Select Add Row Above Add Row Below Add Column Right Add Column Left Delete Row Delete Column Delete Table Kunal RathoreSelect Add Row Above Add Row Below Add Column Right Add Column Left Delete Row Delete Column Delete Table 1Select Add Row Above Add Row Below Add Column Right Add Column Left Delete Row Delete Column Delete Table 0Select Add Row Above Add Row Below Add Column Right Add Column Left Delete Row Delete Column Delete Table 0Select Add Row Above Add Row Below Add Column Right Add Column Left Delete Row Delete Column Delete Table 0Select Add Row Above Add Row Below Add Column Right Add Column Left Delete Row Delete Column Delete Table Yudhvir CharakSelect Add Row Above Add Row Below Add Column Right Add Column Left Delete Row Delete Column Delete Table DNBSelect Add Row Above Add Row Below Add Column Right Add Column Left Delete Row Delete Column Delete Table -Select Add Row Above Add Row Below Add Column Right Add Column Left Delete Row Delete Column Delete Table -Select Add Row Above Add Row Below Add Column Right Add Column Left Delete Row Delete Column Delete Table -Select Add Row Above Add Row Below Add Column Right Add Column Left Delete Row Delete Column Delete Table Dhruv JurelSelect Add Row Above Add Row Below Add Column Right Add Column Left Delete Row Delete Column Delete Table 13Select Add Row Above Add Row Below Add Column Right Add Column Left Delete Row Delete Column Delete Table 333Select Add Row Above Add Row Below Add Column Right Add Column Left Delete Row Delete Column Delete Table 37.00Select Add Row Above Add Row Below Add Column Right Add Column Left Delete Row Delete Column Delete Table 156.34Select Add Row Above Add Row Below Add Column Right Add Column Left Delete Row Delete Column Delete Table
2. Unequal distribution of overseas talent RR made a massive blunder in IPL 2025 when they let go of the likes of Jos Buttler and Trent Boult. It turned out to be a massive dent to their future as the respective players went on to perform well for their new franchises.
For IPL 2026, RR needs to strategise well as they have a mixed lot of overseas talents. Ideally, the Royals should look to retain Jofra Archer and Nandre Burger among the bowlers and let go Kwena Maphaka and Fazalhaq Farooqi, who have been underwhelming and turning out to be a liability for the team.
Similarly, it seems the time is up for Maheesh Theekshana and Wanindu Hasaranga, as their departure allows RR to rope in local talents and clear the overseas slot for the auction.
In the batting, RR should invest more in Lhuan Dre Pretorius and let go of Shimron Hetmyer. Further, RR have an unequal distribution of overseas talent as they have six overseas bowlers, no all-rounder and two overseas batters. Thus, they need to bring a balance in that area to succeed in IPL 2026.
Let's look at how RR's overseas talent have performed in IPL 2025
PlayerSelect Add Row Above Add Row Below Add Column Right Add Column Left Delete Row Delete Column Delete Table Select Add Row Above Add Row Below Add Column Right Add Column Left Delete Row Delete Column Delete Table
InningsSelect Add Row Above Add Row Below Add Column Right Add Column Left Delete Row Delete Column Delete Table Select Add Row Above Add Row Below Add Column Right Add Column Left Delete Row Delete Column Delete Table
Runs/ WicketsSelect Add Row Above Add Row Below Add Column Right Add Column Left Delete Row Delete Column Delete Table Select Add Row Above Add Row Below Add Column Right Add Column Left Delete Row Delete Column Delete Table
Average/EconomySelect Add Row Above Add Row Below Add Column Right Add Column Left Delete Row Delete Column Delete Table Select Add Row Above Add Row Below Add Column Right Add Column Left Delete Row Delete Column Delete Table
Strike-Rate Select Add Row Above Add Row Below Add Column Right Add Column Left Delete Row Delete Column Delete Table Select Add Row Above Add Row Below Add Column Right Add Column Left Delete Row Delete Column Delete Table
Shimron HetmyerSelect Add Row Above Add Row Below Add Column Right Add Column Left Delete Row Delete Column Delete Table Select Add Row Above Add Row Below Add Column Right Add Column Left Delete Row Delete Column Delete Table 13Select Add Row Above Add Row Below Add Column Right Add Column Left Delete Row Delete Column Delete Table Select Add Row Above Add Row Below Add Column Right Add Column Left Delete Row Delete Column Delete Table 239Select Add Row Above Add Row Below Add Column Right Add Column Left Delete Row Delete Column Delete Table Select Add Row Above Add Row Below Add Column Right Add Column Left Delete Row Delete Column Delete Table 21.73Select Add Row Above Add Row Below Add Column Right Add Column Left Delete Row Delete Column Delete Table Select Add Row Above Add Row Below Add Column Right Add Column Left Delete Row Delete Column Delete Table 145.73Select Add Row Above Add Row Below Add Column Right Add Column Left Delete Row Delete Column Delete Table Select Add Row 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Add Column Right Add Column Left Delete Row Delete Column Delete Table Lhuan dre PretoriusSelect Add Row Above Add Row Below Add Column Right Add Column Left Delete Row Delete Column Delete Table Select Add Row Above Add Row Below Add Column Right Add Column Left Delete Row Delete Column Delete Table DNPSelect Add Row Above Add Row Below Add Column Right Add Column Left Delete Row Delete Column Delete Table Select Add Row Above Add Row Below Add Column Right Add Column Left Delete Row Delete Column Delete Table -Select Add Row Above Add Row Below Add Column Right Add Column Left Delete Row Delete Column Delete Table Select Add Row Above Add Row Below Add Column Right Add Column Left Delete Row Delete Column Delete Table -Select Add Row Above Add Row Below Add Column Right Add Column Left Delete Row Delete Column Delete Table Select Add Row Above Add Row Below Add Column Right Add Column Left Delete Row Delete Column Delete Table -Select Add Row Above Add Row Below Add Column Right Add 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Table Select Add Row Above Add Row Below Add Column Right Add Column Left Delete Row Delete Column Delete Table 30.00Select Add Row Above Add Row Below Add Column Right Add Column Left Delete Row Delete Column Delete Table Select Add Row Above Add Row Below Add Column Right Add Column Left Delete Row Delete Column Delete Table Maheesh TheekshanaSelect Add Row Above Add Row Below Add Column Right Add Column Left Delete Row Delete Column Delete Table Select Add Row Above Add Row Below Add Column Right Add Column Left Delete Row Delete Column Delete Table 11Select Add Row Above Add Row Below Add Column Right Add Column Left Delete Row Delete Column Delete Table Select Add Row Above Add Row Below Add Column Right Add Column Left Delete Row Delete Column Delete Table 11Select Add Row Above Add Row Below Add Column Right Add Column Left Delete Row Delete Column Delete Table Select Add Row Above Add Row Below Add Column Right Add Column Left Delete Row Delete Column Delete Table 9.76Select Add Row Above Add Row Below Add Column Right Add Column Left Delete Row Delete Column Delete Table Select Add Row Above Add Row Below Add Column Right Add Column Left Delete Row Delete Column Delete Table 22.00Select Add Row Above Add Row Below Add Column Right Add Column Left Delete Row Delete Column Delete Table Wanindu HasarangaSelect Add Row Above Add Row Below Add Column Right Add Column Left Delete Row Delete Column Delete Table 11Select Add Row Above Add Row Below Add Column Right Add Column Left Delete Row Delete Column Delete Table 11Select Add Row Above Add Row Below Add Column Right Add Column Left Delete Row Delete Column Delete Table 9.05Select Add Row Above Add Row Below Add Column Right Add Column Left Delete Row Delete Column Delete Table 22.00Select Add Row Above Add Row Below Add Column Right Add Column Left Delete Row Delete Column Delete Table
3. Like-to-like replacement for Sanju Samson There are rumours that Ravindra Jadeja is all set to come in place of Sanju Samson at RR , but that won't solve the issue for the Royals. After Samson's departure, the key issue for Rajasthan is to have a solid keeper-batter captain.
Riyan Parag is most likely to take over from Samson, and Jadeja is expected to play just as a player. RR are in search of a solid top-order batter who can play the No.3 role and are in search of a like-for-like replacement.
Thus, despite the Jadeja-Samson swap, RR need to make sure they create enough purse value from their release to bring in a like-for-like replacement player during IPL 2026.
Sanju Samson RR - (Source: AFP) (1).jpg)
