National, 15 September 2021: 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 IPL 2021 season, and even though he smashed his way to 254 runs in the CPL, the right-handed batter could not help the Barbados Royals secure a semi-final berth, meaning he had time to speak to us from St Kitts before he joins his other Royals family in the UAE.

Starting off by disclosing how he ended up signing for the Royals, Phillips said, “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.”

“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.”

The Auckland-based cricketer also had a message for the Royals’ fans, “If I get an opportunity, I’ll try to do the best that I can. I’m someone who will put the team first every single time and hopefully give the people some entertainment.”

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.”

An individual who likes to keep to himself, Phillips also said that he thinks the conditions in the UAE will be better than what he experienced during the CPL. “I’ve played in the UAE before and I think from a pitch and turn perspective, I would probably say that the Caribbean pitches are slower and turn more. I’m actually relishing coming over to the UAE as the pitches will be a bit quicker compared to what I’ve been playing on currently, so that will be a nice change.”

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.”

Throwing light on his excitement of playing in the IPL, Phillips expressed his desire to experience the tournament in India sometime in the future. “I’m really looking forward to being a part of a new team and just getting amongst so many experienced players and talking to them and trying to pick their brains. It would be awesome to be part of that full IPL atmosphere in India, but with the IPL taking place in the UAE – it’s the next best thing – and it’s my first IPL season so I’m not going to complain and will take whatever I can get,” expressed Phillips who also agreed that the “conditions in the UAE will help in preparing for the T20 World Cup.”

Asked if he idolizes anyone, Phillips said he likes picking up little things from various players and coaches that he meets but has never tried to copy anyone. “It was nice to pick Daniel Vettori’s brains to take my bowling a little bit further. But from a batting perspective, I pretty much just wing it as I go, and take little bits and pieces from everyone and try to find the solutions to the situations that I’m up against. I think that allows me to look at other players and be objective and take things that they do that work, as opposed to just looking at one person completely,” gushed Phillips, who is a true all-rounder due to his unique ability of being able to bat, bowl, keep wickets and field.

Terming his recent experience with the Barbados Royals as “fantastic”, Phillips said that he believes “the team will win the competition for the third time soon because of the cohesion and team spirit that the unit showed even during the hard times,” as he signed off.

Dubai, 12 September 2021:Delhi Capitals’ batsman Shikhar Dhawan, who is currently the highest run-getter in the VIVO IPL 2021 season with 380 runs in 8 matches, expressed that he is very excited to play the remainder of the season, which will be played in the UAE later this month, “It’s great to be back. There’s a great environment within the team. All the boys are working very hard and I am looking forward to the IPL season. I am very excited to play the upcoming matches.”

Dhawan, who has scored 3 fifties in the IPL 2021 season so far, said that it’s important for the team to start performing well from the first match itself, “It’s very important to start on a high note. We need to do well from the first match itself and therefore we are working very hard for our first match against Sunrisers Hyderabad. We have to bring our hard work into effect during matches and produce great results.”

The 35-year-old added that the Delhi Capitals squad is even more stronger for the second half of the season with batsman Shreyas Iyer returning to the side.

“We were in a certain flow in the first half of the season and then that flow was broken once the tournament was suspended. So we have to rebuild our energy and get back on the flow we were in. The good thing is that our team is well balanced and Shreyas Iyer is back in the side as well, so our team is even stronger now,” said Dhawan.

When asked about getting acclimatized to the conditions in the UAE, the opening batsman said, “We’ll beat the heat as well. It takes some time to get used to the humidity here since we were indoors for a while. But we’ve been doing this for so many years so we’ll definitely beat the heat.”

The Delhi Capitals are set to take on the Sunrisers Hyderabad on 22 September 2021, when the VIVO IPL 2021 season resumes.

Dubai (UAE), 12 September 2021: A bond that is deeper than cricket, Rajasthan Royals’ stylish batter Manan Vohra and young sensation Mayank Markande aren’t just teammates on the field, but they also happen to be really close friends off it. The two end up having honest discussions about various things and topics, and Saturday evening witnessed a similar scenario when the two Punjab-based cricketers were in conversation ahead of the remainder of IPL 2021 season.

Speaking from their hotel in Dubai, Manan started the conversation by calling Mayank “a very lazy character”. He elaborated, “I have to always push him to go the extra mile in terms of everything, even if it’s training. He’s the kind of character who likes to go easy on things, but I’m always the one telling him to go that extra mile because I know he’s got immense talent and if he improves his work ethics, he will be a definite player for the Indian team for a long time.”

But Mayank, on the other hand, was quick to respond to the claim. “I’m not lazy, I’m like a normal person like everyone else but I think he (Manan) is extraordinary – I think even extraordinary is also an understatement for him (laughs). So, if you don’t reach his level, then he says I’m lazy, but on a serious note, I really appreciate him showing so much faith in me.”

Talking about Rajasthan Royals’ ambitions and realistic goals for the season, the duo was on the same page for a change, with 28-year-old Manan saying, “As a group, we are all looking to win the trophy. It has been a long time since the franchise has won it, and 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.” To which, Mayank added, “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.”

Summing up his own stint in the first phase of season, Manan stated, “I think my personal experience was good because I had been waiting for this opportunity for two years. 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.”

Meanwhile commenting on not being able to find a spot in the Royals’ team during the first phase, Mayank 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”.

With the second wave of COVID-19 taking India by storm earlier this year, Manan also stated that the period was tough for him too due to a personal loss. “The first two weeks (after IPL) were rough when I went back home because I lost my grandfather to whom I was extremely close, but you have to be strong. I was able to cope up with that, but his memories and teachings are very precious to me and will stay with me forever,” said an emotional Manan.

Meanwhile Mayank, who had started playing IPL at the age of just 20, spoke about how he has transformed into a much more matured bowler now. “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.

Referring to the short boundaries in Sharjah, the youngster also added, “I believe a good ball is a good ball on any ground regardless of how small the boundaries are. It’s cliché but bowling at the right line and length is key at any ground and that’s what we learned last season in the UAE as well. Therefore, we’re hoping our learnings will help us this season.”

Having played one T20I for the Indian team, Mayank added that 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.”

Whereas, U-19 World Cup winner Manan also added how he intends to use the upcoming 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. 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,” expressed the right-handed batter who has 1054 runs in 53 IPL matches at a strike-rate of over 130.

Dubai (UAE), 09 September 2021: Sri Lankan legend and Rajasthan Royals’ Director of Cricket Kumar Sangakkara arrived in the UAE earlier this week and is looking forward to resuming the season with a confident Royals squad who are placed fifth in the IPL points table.

Speaking from his hotel room, where he’s under quarantine with his family, Kumar said, “The first phase of the season had both positives and negatives for our team. It was a bit of a mixed bag with some injuries and pull-outs, but those are very understandable situations where you must support the players. After that, we were left in a different place to where we had envisioned ourselves after a great Auction earlier this year. But I was glad to see other players stepping up and filling in the roles that were required of them and playing to their own strengths to help the team.”

Summing up the first phase of the season, Kumar said he was happy to see the character shown by his side to deal with hindrances. “We started off with a great game against Kings, then we beat Delhi and finished the phase with probably our best all-round performance which came against SRH. It was a good way to finish the phase but was tough on the players because they had worked so hard to be in that position. However, the guys showed a lot of character, patience, and understanding in that environment where it was quite a tough period with what was happening in India and around the world due to COVID. I think it was a great test for everyone involved with the franchise, and I was very impressed with all the players and the management because they all had tough jobs, but their focus was immense,” said the 43-year-old.

Having stayed in touch with players during the off-season, Kumar says “it was good to see lots of feedback from the players.” “I expect them to always challenge the plans we set for them and question as to why they’re doing something, or if they have a better alternative. I think that’s the real way we can challenge each other as coaches and players to get better. And I’m genuinely very happy to note that our players are excelling at that. I really love the energy and the attitude of all the players at the Royals, especially the younger Indian guys, who are all very keen to learn and very confident in their abilities,” he added.

Commenting on what he expects from his team as they aim to make it to the playoffs, Kumar said, “What I want to see from them is their best efforts – competing as hard and for as long as possible to create opportunities to take games by the scruff of their neck and win them – that’s the real key. If one player can win us the odd game here and there, different players become those match-winners in different games, and that’s really what you’re looking for in terms of formulating a side winning.”

Sending messages of support and best wishes to players who have had to pull out, Kumar added, “Jos Buttler has of course had a new addition to his family and we congratulate him and the family. We really miss those guys because they’ve been brilliant due to what they bring to the franchise, not just on the field but also off it. With Ben (Stokes), we understand the situation and realize the importance of this period in his life and continue to provide all the support and love he needs.”

“Jofra Archer has had a huge miss in terms of cricket with his injury, and we would really like him to get better. He’s brilliant to watch when he’s playing not just for RR, but generally in world cricket. I think world cricket needs Jofra Archer back because he’s been such a great performer and athlete,” added the Lankan great.

Talking about the squad for the remainder of the tournament, and referring to Jaydev Unadkat as ‘a great example of hard work and determination’, Kumar added, “Earlier this year, I was particularly impressed with JD (Jaydev Unadkat), because we all know that he has gone through some difficult phases in his career but I think he really stepped up during the first phase of IPL 2021. His bowling was outstanding, and that just goes to show that you can come back from a setback and start doing well if you put in the work. I know we have a really good squad again which gives us the chance of going with various combinations. I’m also really excited to see what our younger players can bring to the table.”
Praising the leadership of young captain Sanju Samson, Kumar said, “I really think Sanju Samson does well when he’s Sanju Samson. He’s a very impressive cricketer and a very bright young man. He’s got a balanced head on his shoulders, and I like the way he keeps everything very simple, clear and direct. His captaincy was very impressive given he had to take over at a tough time without a full-strength squad. So we’ll keep talking to him and supporting him to make sure he’s excelling in his game and is going to be an excellent captain for the franchise.”

Dubai, 08 September 2021:Delhi Capitals’ leg-spinner Amit Mishra, who has taken the second-most wickets (166) in the history of the Indian Premier League, has been trying to get used to the conditions in the UAE during the pre-season camp in Dubai ahead of the second half of the VIVO IPL 2021. Mishra, who was diagnosed with Covid-19 just before the IPL was suspended in May 2021, spoke about how he re-built his fitness post recovery from the illness.

“After the IPL was suspended in May, I focussed on my recovery from Covid-19. According to the advice given to me by the doctors, I improved my fitness slowly and steadily. It was difficult for me during the recovery phase, but I am happy that I am here for the second half of the season. I trained on my own and didn’t go close to anybody after recovery. I got some gym equipment such as treadmill and set them up at my home as well because I didn’t want to train in a public gym,” said Mishra.

The JSW and GMR co-owned franchise Delhi Capitals had a fantastic run in the first half of the tournament, recording 6 wins in 8 matches. However, Mishra expressed that all teams will have to start afresh when the season resumes this month, “We are at the top of the table right now, but we have to start afresh. We have to set our strategies again. I think every team has an equal chance of doing well now since we are all re-starting the tournament. We are playing the second half of the IPL in a different country, so we have to devise our strategies according to the conditions here in the UAE.”

The Leg-spinner added that the Delhi Capitals will try to build on the momentum they had in the first half of the season.

“We have been doing well in the last two seasons and the performances have come because of a collective effort. From coaches to selectors to players, everyone should be credited for Delhi Capitals’ progress as a team in the last few years. We will try to build on our momentum from the first half of the IPL 2021 season and take one match at a time once the season resumes,” said the 38-year-old.

The Delhi Capitals are set to take on the Sunrisers Hyderabad on 22 September 2021, when the VIVO IPL 2021 season resumes.  

Dubai (UAE), 08 September 2021: Ahead of an important phase of the Indian Premier League, two of our Karnataka-based players took out time to express their thoughts on the upcoming season and what’s in store for them. All-rounder Shreyas Gopal and leg spinner KC Cariappa have not had much competitive cricket under their belts in recent months but are all geared up to take their Rajasthan Royals side to the playoffs in the UAE.

Speaking ahead of the tournament, Shreyas said, “I think there are two ways of looking at the break in the IPL season. For people who weren’t doing all that well including myself, I think it was a chance to put on the thinking cap and see what modifications and improvements could be made. Whereas, for people who had been doing well, the first two teams in the table for that instance, it puts a break on them and they’ll now have to restart, so puts everyone on level pegging.”

Meanwhile, for 27-year-old Cariappa, the season has come as a chance at redemption, after he had been away from cricket for a while. “It was a very depressing period for me when I was not part of the Karnataka team earlier this year. I did well last year in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, but after that, things became bad for me,” said the leg spinner.

“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,” added Cariappa.

“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 and to the Rajasthan Royals franchise for showing faith in me. I feel that I’m back on my feet because of them and now it’s time to repay that faith on the field,” expressed an emotional Cariappa.

Shreyas, on the other hand, has been consistently featuring both in the IPL and in the domestic circuit, and wants to keep everything simple. “I think it’s more about the kind of mind space I’ve been in – the way I’m bowling, batting, fielding, and also how I’m feeling. I want to keep my work ethic high, but also realize that it’s going to be a long season with bubble life again, so I want to be present in the now, and remain simple with my process.”

The 28-year-old had played all 14 matches for the Royals in the 2020 season which was held in the UAE, and the all-rounder is again looking at using his experience in the gulf nation. “We played last year around the same time, so we have been witness to the conditions at all three places. We know the strengths in terms of length of the boundaries, etc. And as the tournament progresses, the pitches get a bit slower and are good batting wickets at the start. So we’ll be backing ourselves to do really well in these conditions and execute our plans,” stated Gopal who has 48 wickets in 47 IPL matches.

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, 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.”

Lastly, adding that two fellow Karnataka and India legends have inspired him, Shreyas Gopal added, “My favourite batter was always Rahul Dravid, and bowler was Anil Kumble. I tried imitating Anil sir’s action during childhood, and a part of it is still there in my action I think. When I first met him during my Mumbai (Indians) days, he told me about the importance of having a fierce body language, mindset, and then let the skill set take over. I think ever since I’ve tried having that burn and desire in me, and I’m always willing to bowl the hard overs, and be there for the team in those tough situations. Meanwhile, Rahul sir is a lot calmer, but if you look into his eyes, he’s a fierce competitor as well,” signed off Gopal.

IPL franchise Rajasthan Royals today announced the signing of South Africa’s Tabraiz Shamsi, the world no. 1 ranked T20I bowler who will be joining the Royals squad for the remainder of IPL 2021 to be held in the UAE from 19th September 2021. The left-arm leg spinner from Johannesburg, is the second replacement player for the franchise. 

31-year-old Shamsi represents The Titans in South Africa’s domestic cricket, and made his international debut for South Africa during a bilateral T20I series against England in 2017. The left-arm leg spinner has since picked up 45 wickets in 39 T20Is, along with 32 wickets in 27 ODIs for his nation. In the IPL, Shamsi has played 4 matches in which he picked up 3 wickets for Royals Challengers Bangalore, who had recruited him as a replacement player during the 2016 season.
Meanwhile, Rajasthan Royals would also like to share that Andrew Tye won’t be available for the remainder of the IPL season. “It is with great regret that I have to pull out of the remainder of the IPL 2021 with the Rajasthan Royals. It has been a long year for me which has kept me away from home for a lengthy period, and the disappointment of not making it to the World Cup squad has added to the dismay. Therefore, keeping my best interests in mind, I had to make this tough decision of staying at home and preparing myself mentally and physically for next year’s T20 World Cup. I am gutted that I won’t be able to rejoin the Royals family this year, but like all the fans out there, I will be cheering the team on”, added Tye.

New Delhi, 14 December 2019: With the IPL getting into auction mode, Delhi Capitals Head Coach Ricky Ponting met members of the management to discuss the team’s potential targets for the upcoming season. “We’ve had several discussions over the last few months, and have put in a lot of time and effort to make sure that we’re well prepared,” Ponting said. “You can do all the planning in the world, but at the auction table, the unpredictable always happens.”

“There’s going to be a lot of focus and attention on fast bowlers, overseas ones in particular,” the former Australian captain said. “Pat Cummins could go for big money, as could Chris Woakes. All-rounders are always interesting in my opinion. Players like Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Marsh, Jimmy Neesham, Colin de Grandhomme could all be big picks.” “Going into the auction you have to be very specific about the kind of players you need,” he said. “For instance, we’ve got three openers, so we don’t need to look for one. You need to identify the problem areas in your starting eleven, and essentially plug the gaps.”

Ponting also spoke about the 2019 IPL season which was a stellar one for Delhi, with the franchise finishing third eventually in the competition. “The semi-final loss against Chennai was disappointing of course. But we played some great cricket, and even now, about 7-8 months after the tournament, I feel like there were times when we were the best team in the competition. I just remember how much fun everybody had. It was a totally different environment than most other IPLs that I have been a part of. The idea is to recreate that atmosphere and culture with our new and existing bunch of players.”

On the addition of Ravichandran Ashwin and Ajinkya Rahane to the side, Ponting said, “They are the kind of players who are likely to do well on the Kotla wicket, and of course, bring tremendous experience with them.” Delhi Capitals will go into the 19^th December auction in Kolkata with a purse of INR 27.85 crore and 11 available slots, including five overseas players.  

15th November 2019, New Delhi: JSW and GMR co-owned Delhi Capitals today revealed a list of retained players ahead of the VIVO Indian Premier League 2020 Auction which is to be held next month in Kolkata. The Delhi-based franchise has retained a total of 14 players which includes three overseas players.

The retained players include Indian internationals Shikhar Dhawan, Prithvi Shaw, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant, Ishant Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane, Ravichandran Ashwin, Axar Patel, Amit Mishra, along with Harshal Patel and Avesh Khan. Delhi Capitals have also retained three overseas players which include South African speedster Kagiso Rabada, West Indian all-rounder Keemo Paul and Nepalese leg-spinner Sandeep Lamichhane.

Meanwhile, the IPL franchise which finished third last season, has released six Indian and three overseas players with Hanuma Vihari, Jalaj Saxena, Manjot Kalra, Ankush Bains, Nathu Singh and Bandaru Ayappa, all having been released. The three overseas players who have been released include South African duo of Chris Morris and Colin Ingram, along with New Zealand left-hander Colin Munro.

The off-season has also seen Delhi Capitals earlier trade Sherfane Rutherford to Mumbai Indians, Jagadeesha Suchith to Kings XI Punjab, Trent Boult to Mumbai Indians, and the duo of Rahul Tewatia and Mayank Markande to Rajasthan Royals, while having brought in experienced players in Ravichandran Ashwin and Ajinkya Rahane.

“At Delhi Capitals, we have always believed that the core of the team has to include Indian players. The last few years we have had a lot of youngsters who have added a lot of exuberance, and last year we were successful in bringing in some experienced players like Shikhar Dhawan and Ishant Sharma. This year also we have added two highly experienced and seasoned performers in R Ashwin and Ajinkya Rahane. Both are match winners, and have years of experience at this level. We do believe that we have retained players who make our side a very formidable one going into the next season, and we will only get stronger and better from hereon,” said Delhi Capitals CEO Dhiraj Malhotra, on the occasion.

“I would also like to take this opportunity to thank all the players we have released for their time with the Delhi Capitals franchise, and would like to wish them all the very best for their respective futures,” said Malhotra.

Please find below the finalized Delhi Capitals squad ahead of the VIVO Indian Premier League 2020 Auction:RETENTIONS:INDIANS:1. Shikhar Dhawan
2. Prithvi Shaw
3. Shreyas Iyer
4. Rishabh Pant
5. Axar Patel
6. Amit Mishra
7. Ishant Sharma
8. Harshal Patel
9. Avesh Khan
10. Ravichandran Ashwin
11. Ajinkya Rahane
OVERSEAS:1. Kagiso Rabada
2. Keemo Paul
3. Sandeep Lamichhane

RELEASES:INDIANS:1. Hanuma Vihari
2. Jalaj Saxena
3. Manjot Kalra
4. Ankush Bains
5. Nathu Singh
6. Bandaru Ayappa
OVERSEAS:1. Chris Morris
2. Colin Ingram
3. Colin Munro
TRADES:1. Sherfane Rutherford to Mumbai Indians
2. Jagadeesha Suchith to Kings XI Punjab
3. Trent Boult to Mumbai Indians
4. Rahul Tewatia & Mayank Markande to Rajasthan Royals

Mumbai, 15 November 2019: Rajasthan Royals today announced that they would retain 11 and release 11 players ahead of the 13th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). Top ranked Test- batsman in the world, Steve Smith will lead the team under the able guidance of newly appointed Head Coach, Andrew McDonald. 

Ahead of the retention deadline, key trading took place between the teams and India’s Test Vice Captain Ajinkya Rahane was traded to Delhi Capitals for spinner Mayank Markande and all-rounder Rahul Tewatia. 

Mayank had an impressive debut IPL season with Mumbai Indians in 2018 season. In his first match the spinner picked up three wickets and the prized scalp of former India captain M.S. Dhoni. He finished the season with 15 wickets from 14 matches. The 2019 season saw less of Mayank as he played only three matches after which he was traded to Delhi Capitals.  

26-year-old Rahul was part of the Rajasthan Royals set up in 2014, after which he moved to Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) and then the Capitals. The leg-spin bowler is known to make handy contributions with the bat as well.

“Ajinkya has been that true Royal who has always given his best for the team and stands strongly for the Royals philosophy, ‘never give up’. A classy player who has given the Royals fans some great memories to cherish over the years. On behalf of the Royals family, of which Jinks continues to be an integral member, I wish him good luck for a new beginning,” commented Zubin Bharucha, Head of Cricket, Rajasthan Royals.

In other tradings, Medium-pacer Dhawal Kulkarni was traded to Mumbai Indians. Pacer Ankit Rajpoot will join the Royals squad from KXIP who was traded for all-rounder Krishnappa Gowtham. Rajpoot had a great 2018 IPL season, where he took 11 wickets from eight matches. He was retained by KXIP for his eye catching performances but only played four matches in the 2019 season. At the ongoing Mushtaq Ali trophy, playing for his team, Uttar Pradesh, Ankit has gone on to make a record to take a 5-fer in just 2 overs. He claimed 5 wickets and gave away just 17 runs while playing against Tripura. He becomes the second bowler in the history of T-20 to do so. 

Commenting on the trades, releases and retentions, Head of Cricket Rajasthan Royals, Zubin Bharucha said, “We would like to thank all the players for their services to the team. The format of IPL is such, that at times you have to take tough decisions to benefit both the team and those individuals. While we have to let go of some members, they will always remain part of our extended Royals family. I wish each one of them the best of luck for their future endeavours,” added Bharucha. 

Speaking on the upcoming season, Head Coach of the Rajasthan Royals, Andrew McDonald said, “I’m looking forward to my first season as the coach of the Royals. My main objective will be to work on improving the squad and set a style of cricket that can win us the IPL. We have done some trades keeping in mind the combination that we wish to establish and will further work on securing players during the auction that are required to fill necessary roles. I am hopeful of a great season and believe we can give Royal fans across the globe a reason to Halla Bol.”

Speaking about leading the Royals once again at IPL 2020, Steve Smith said, “It’s an honour to be named the Rajasthan Royals captain for the 2020 season. It’s been a pleasure leading the Royals in previous years and I can’t wait to play alongside this extremely talented squad, plus those we pick up in the auction”.

Post the successful trading and all player releases, Rajasthan Royals has a total purse of INR 28.9 crores available for the auction.