Last Updated on 4 weeks by Charbel Coorey

Rajasthan Royals (RR) have been thereabouts in recent years, and will be seeking to go one better in the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL) season. They made the final in 2022, missed the playoffs narrowly in 2023 and then qualified for the playoffs last season.

Heading into the mega auction, RR raised eyebrows regarding some of their retentions and the amount they paid for them. In this article, we will look at the possible XII, strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats for RR in IPL 2025.

RR IPL 2025 Preview: Do the Royals have enough balance in their lineup?

RR Possible XII

1. Yashasvi Jaiswal, 2. Sanju Samson, 3. Nitish Rana, 4. Riyan Parag (c), 5. Shimron Hetmyer (OS), 6. Dhruv Jurel (wk), 7. Shubham Dubey, 8. Wanindu Hasaranga (OS), 9. Jofra Archer (OS), 10. Maheesh Theekshana (OS), 11. Akash Madhwal, 12. Sandeep Sharma

Sanju Samson will play solely as a batter in the first three games as he recovers from a finger injury. Riyan Parag will lead in these matches and Dhruv Jurel will take the gloves.

Shimron Hetmyer, Wanindu Hasaranga, Jofra Archer and Maheesh Theekshana are likely to be the overseas four for the first match against Sunrisers Hyderabad.

Strong Indian core crucial to RR success

RR’s batting is built around their Indian core. Yashasvi Jaiswal didn’t quite deliver the returns he is capable of last season, and can easily do so in this campaign. Sanju Samson has developed greater consistency in recent years, while Nitish Rana and Riyan Parag represents a very capable three and four to follow.

Also, Shubham Dubey, along with Dhruv Jurel, are key in the finishing department given Shimron Hetmyer is the only overseas specialist batting option. Dubey has a strike rate of 152.69 in 26 T20 innings to date, and is one to watch this season.

Good mix of right and left-handers in the batting lineup

Other teams in the IPL look a little one dimensional in terms of the right or left-handed setup. RR have a good mix in this regard. In their possible top seven, they have three right-handers and four left-handers, giving them the option of having a right-left combination at the crease throughout the innings.

Sri Lankan spin twins offers control and wicket-taking ability

Maheesh Theekshana could prove to be vital in the powerplay. He is accurate, keeps things tight and can enable RR to get into the game.

His Sri Lanka teammate, Wanindu Hasaranga, offers a wicket-taking option in the middle. RR will be hoping he can channel his 2022 season for RCB where he took 26 wickets, with 20 coming between overs 7-16.

Lack of sixth bowling option can leave RR short

The impact player rule can limit the need for quality all-rounders, but having additional bowling options remains important on good batting surfaces. RR’s lack of all-rounders in their squad means they will likely rely on five specialist bowlers to get the job done. If one or two bowlers have an off day, they may need to turn to the likes of Riyan Parag or Nitish Rana, which could spell trouble.

Can Jofra Archer make an impact?

Jofra Archer returns to RR. He was particularly outstanding in the 2020 season, where he took 20 wickets at an economy of 6.55. RR fans will be hoping he can produce something similar in IPL 2025.

Since then, however, Archer has suffered numerous injuries. So, expecting him to produce such a top class performance might be a bridge too far.

Considering this, RR need their other seamers to deliver. Sandeep Sharma and one of Akash Madhwal or Tushar Deshpande will likely play in the XII. Given the lack of all-rounders, playing two specialist spinners is necessary, leaving room for just three seamers unless RR drop a batter for a bowler.

Conclusion: RR may struggle

Batting wise, RR look good, although they lack backup to Shimron Hetmyer. However, their bowling lacks depth and they are a candidate to concede big totals. For this reason, I have them missing the playoffs.

Do catch our preview of RR on the CricBlog TV Channel as well!