Rajasthan Royals are knee deep in crisis right now with only four of their seven overseas players available for selection. Jofra Archer decided to withdraw from IPL due to an ankle injury while Ben Stokes returned to England due to a broken finger. Liam Livingstone opted out citing bubble fatigue and hence Royals are in dire need for foreign recruits. In this article, we will look at five overseas players for RR in other franchises.
#5 Dawid Malan
When Jos Buttler is not firing, Royals struggle for runs in the first 10 overs and have often needed a death overs flourish to reach a good total. On the other hand, Kings XI Punjab have been reluctant to use Malan, with Gayle scoring consistently at number 3.
Malan is the number one T-20 batsman in the world and could offer some much needed stability for RR. His presence might also allow Samson to open the innings along with Buttler.
#4 Lockie Ferguson
Ferguson showed glimpses of his potential last season when his fiery pace and awkward bounce troubled the opposition batsman. His economy was on the higher side but he did pick up many crucial wickets. Ferguson can be a reliable back-up option for Mustafizur and Morris as both are injury-prone.
There is a good chance Ferguson might not get a single game for KKR in 2021 as Cummins’ performances with the bat have been outstanding. Also, RR already have two left arm medium pacers Chetan Sakariya and Jaydev Unadkat and hence Ferguson could be picked to add another dimension to their attack.
#3 James Neesham
Mumbai Indians have three established all-rounders in Pollard, Hardik Pandya and Krunal Pandya. This leaves little room for Jimmy Neesham in MI starting eleven. Nessham could be one of the four overseas players for RR, as he can also contribute with the bat.
Unlike Morris, Neesham is a batting all-rounder and thus he could replace David Miller if the Protea is unable to perform consistently. Neesham has played some quickfire cameos with the bat for New Zealand in the past two years. He is also capable of playing responsibly in case of a collapse or low scoring games.
#2 Sam Billings
Billings rose to fame in the IPL 2018 as his breathtaking cameo helped CSK chase down a huge target against KKR. He has not played any innings of note since that knock but he is a constant presence in the English domestic circuit. Billings has evolved as a finisher in recent years and has upgraded his arsenal.
DC have not used him till now, with Steve Smith preferred at the number 3 position. DC also have decent finishers in Hetmyer and Stoinis and thus a move to RR will benefit both the parties.
#1 Mitchell Santner
Santner has been part of the CSK setup for four seasons now and yet he has rarely been given a consistent run. Presence of Jadeja and the veteran Tahir has meant that CSK can survive without his bowling in the middle overs. Santner is quite capable of playing the role of a finisher as RR found out in 2018.
Rajasthan are in dire need of a classical spinner who can break partnerships and Santner is a perfect fit for that role. Santner could be one of the overseas players for RR since Shreyas Gopal and Rahul Tewatia have not produced a game changing spell.
