Rajasthan Royals

Introduction

The Indian Premier League (IPL) is one of the most celebrated cricket tournaments for the cricket fans, and the Rajasthan Royals IPL team have always been a team to watch out for. Rajasthan Royals (RR), who received the lowest bid when the first IPL franchise was first sold, emerged as unexpected champions in the first season under the captaincy of Australian legend Shane Warne, who also coached the team and led the team to win the IPL trophy in the inaugural season.

RR, which is known for their unique approach towards the game and for giving chances to young talent, the team have a loyal fan base that eagerly look forward to their performance each season. As we gear up for IPL 2025, let’s dive deep into everything you need to know about the RR IPL team.

RR IPL Team 2025 Overview

Known for its budget-conscious buying, and for picking largely unknown talents and backing them, RR sometimes considered as the "Moneyball" team of the IPL. The team have consistently focused on building a balanced squad by keeping experienced players and young talent. Under the leadership of Sanju Samson, the team has shown glimpses of brilliance by performing consistently in the previous season and this IPL edition could be their year to shine.

• Owner: Rajasthan franchise is owned by Manoj Badale and The Royals Sports Group. Badale is a British Indian businessman and venture business builder. He is the co-founder and managing partner of venture builder firm Blenheim Chalcot.
• Head coach: Rahul Dravid is the head coach of RR. He was appointed ahead of the 2025 IPL mea auction. He replaced former Sri Lankan cricketer Kumar Sangakkara, who was the head coach from 2021 to 2024.
• Spin-bowling coach: The team appointed former India leg spinner Sairaj Bahutule as RR's spin-bowling coach for IPL 2025. He worked in the same capacity with RR from 2018 to 2021.
• Home ground: RR's home ground is the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur.

RR IPL Team 2025 Players List

RR, who is known for its strategic approach to buy players, have greatly invested to acquire players for the IPL 2025 edition in the mega auction. While retaining key players such as Sanju Samson, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Riyan Parag, the team also made some strategic additions during the IPL auction 2025.

Led by Jaiswal and Samson, the team’s batting lineup features talented players capable of putting the team in a strong position by scoring runs. This year RR has also equally focused on keeping the bowling lineup strong by bringing England fast bowler Jofra Archer into the team.

With RR having the skilled pacer Sandeep Sharma, who is especially known for his ability to bowl in the death overs, and Archer, the team looks in a very good position for the 2025 IPL season.

Here's the complete RR IPL team 2025 players list:

RR Players List Acquired in IPL Mega Auction 2025

For the 2025 season, the IPL auction was a big event as all the team franchises released most of the players and retained the core ones. The Rajasthan team made strategic acquisitions during the IPL mega auction 2025 to strengthen their squad. The team spent Rs 119.70 crore from its purse to acquire players in the mega auction.

Here are some of the top players RR acquired in this auction:

1. Jofra Archer (Rs 12.50 crore): Archer is England's premier fast bowler, who is known for his pace and ability to take crucial wickets. His addition to RR solidifies bowling attack, making the team a strong opponent for others in the league.
2. Tushar Deshpande (Rs 6.5 crore): Deshpande is a right-arm medium-fast bowler who provides depth to the bowling attack for RR. His ability to bowl in various situations makes him a valuable player for the squad.
3. Wanindu Hasaranga (Rs 5.25 crore): Hasaranga is a leg-spinner from Sri Lanka known for his wicket-taking ability. With his addition to RR's spin department, his deliveries can be a match-winner on turning pitches.
4. Maheesh Theekshana (Rs 4.40 crore): Another Sri Lankan spinner, Theekshana is known for his mystery spin and can be an asset for the team's bowling attack in the middle overs. His inclusion adds depth to RR's spin bowling options.
5. Nitish Rana (Rs 4.2 crore): Rana is an all-rounder who can contribute with both bat and ball. His ability to play spin and pace makes him a versatile player in the middle order.
6. Fazalhaq Farooqi (Rs 2 crore): Farooqi is a left-arm fast bowler from Afghanistan who can provide variation in the bowling attack. His pace and the ability to swing the ball both ways make him a go to bowler in any conditions.
7. Vaibhav Suryavanshi ( Rs 1.10 crore): Keeping their faith in giving chance and nurture young talent, RR bought Suryavanshi who became the youngest player ever signed by an IPL franchise. He was 13 years old when RR bought him.

List of RR Retained Players 2025

To maintain a strong core team in order to keep its success streak continue, the Rajasthan team have strategically retained several key players ahead of the IPL 2025 season. The list of retained players includes some experienced players and young talents who have shown promise and consistency in past. Here's a detailed look at the players retained by RR for the 2025 season:

1. Sanju Samson (Rs 18 crore): As the captain of the RR, Samson is a crucial player for the team. Known for his aggressive batting style and leadership skills, he has been a consistent performer for RR. His ability to give a good start in the innings and accelerate when needed makes him an valuable asset.
2. Yashasvi Jaiswal (Rs 18 crore): Jaiswal, who has opened for RR in previous season, has shown his capability of hitting the ball out of the ground. He has been a consistent performer for RR and has shown great promise. His ability to score quickly at the top of the order has made him a key player for RR.
3. Shimron Hetmyer (Rs 11 crore): Hetmyer is known for his hard-hitting batting and ability to finish games strongly. His retention of this West Indies batsman ensures that RR has a powerful middle-order batsman who can turn matches around with his aggressive batting style.
4. Dhruv Jurel (Rs 14 crore): Jurel, a wicket-keeper batsman, is a dependable player for the team who has been retained for his consistency and potential. With his batting skill, he provides additional depth to the batting lineup and is a valuable backup to Samson.
5. Riyan Parag (Rs 14 crore): Parag, who has been associated with RR since his IPL debut, is a versatile batsman who can adapt to different situations. In the 2024 IPL season, he was the highest run scorer for RR, overall the third highest on the run scoring charts.
6. Sandeep Sharma (Rs 4 crore): Sharma is known for his ability to swing the ball and take crucial wickets in the powerplay. Him being in the team strengthens the RR bowling attack and provides a reliable option for early breakthroughs.

RR's Past Performance

The Rajasthan Royals journey in the Indian Premier League (IPL) has been full of highs and lows since the league's inception in 2008. While the team caught attention of cricket experts and fans by winning the first IPL title under the leadership of Shane Warne, they have struggled to repeat that success in the following seasons.

After winning the first season, the team's IPL journey in next few season did not go well, finishing at 6th or 7th place. However, the team came back in 2013 IPL season and qualified for playoffs but could not made it to the finals.

In the next two seasons, the team's performance dropped again and failed to reach the playoffs. In 2018, RR once again jumped back and made it to the playoffs. The year 2022 was the one where the team again made it to the finals but couldn't win the trophy.

Here’s a quick look at RR's performance in IPL:

RR Key Players to Watch Out For in 2025

RR's strategic approach and ability to nurture talent makes them different from other franchises. As the team gets ready for the IPL 2025 season, several key players are expected to make a significant impact. Here's a detailed look at the players to watch out for:

1. Sanju Samson: Backbone of the RRs' batting lineup, Samson's aggressive batting style and clean hitting, makes him a key player of RR that has the ability to take the game away from the opposition. As the captain, his leadership skills will be crucial in guiding the team throughout the tournament. He has scored over 4,000 runs in 167 matches at an average of around 30 and a strike rate of over 138.
2. Yashasvi Jaiswal: Known for his aggressive batting style and ability to score quickly, Jaiswal can provide strong starts for RR. He is one of the young and talented opener who has shown great promise in his short IPL career. In the 2025 season, he is expected to continue his impressive form and provide solid starts for the team. He played 52 games and scored 1607 runs with a highest score of 124.
3. Shimron Hetmyer: This West Indies player is a powerful middle-order batsman known for his explosive hitting. He has the ability to turn the losing match into a winning match in a matter of time, making him a crucial player for RR in the death overs. Hetmyer has a strike rate of 153.20 and a highest score of 75 in IPL.
4. Jofra Archer: Archer is one of the fastest bowlers in world cricket who has created a name with his speed. His ability to bowl at a fast pace and take important wickets makes him a vital player for RR. Archers has played 35 matches and took 46 wickets in IPL with an economy rate of 7.13.
5. Riyan Parag: The 2024 season was a comeback one for Parag. With his performance with the bat, he impressed cricket experts as well as fans. Because his performance in the last season, this year he has become a key player for RR to watch out for. In IPL 2024, he scored 573 rune and a highest score of 84 runs out with a strike rate of 149.22.

RR's Schedule for 2025 IPL Season

The Rajasthan team is all set to start their IPL 2025 journey with a well-rounded squad and strategic approach. Under the leadership of Sanju Samson, RR aims to make a significant impact this year. The team will play its first game against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on March 23, 2025 at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad.

Here's a detailed look at their schedule for the season:

Conclusion

RR's strategy to retain a strong core of players and buying impactful players has formed a squad that is both competitive and dynamic. The retention of core players like Sanju Samson, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Shimron Hetmyer provides a solid batting lineup, while the addition of new talents and experienced players like Jofra Archer and Wanindu Hasaranga strengthens the bowling attack. This mixture of players ensures that RR has the depth and versatility to adapt to various match situations.

Under the leadership of Samson and the guidance of coach Rahul Dravid, RR has a strong strategic backbone. Although RR's performance in the IPL has been mixed, including some of the great performances as well as poor ones, the team looks set to give tough competition to other teams in this season.

With great batting and bowling lineup, RR seems to be in a good position and geared up to lift the trophy this season.