MUMBAI: One of the key features about Rajasthan Royals’ superb show in IPL-2022 - they are currently third on the table with 14 points (seven wins, four losses) after 11 games - is that they have one of the best bowling attacks in the tournament.
In pacers Trent Boult (9 wickets@35.33 in 11 games), Prasidh Krishna (13 wickets in 11 games@28.07) and newcomer Kuldeep Sen (8 wickets in six games@25.62), and ace, and experienced spinners Yuzvendra Chahal (22 wickets in 11 games@14.50., economy rate: 7.25) and Ravichandran Ashwin (9 wickets in 11 games@35.11, economy rate: 7.18), the Royals have a potent bowling combination, which has proved troublesome on some very flat tracks in Mumbai and Pune.
Boult, Krishna, Chahal and Ashwin are all playing for the Royals for the first time, while Sen is playing his first IPL. At a promotional event on Monday, Ranjit Barthakur, the CEO of Rajasthan Royals, revealed that it was a “pre-planned strategy” by his team to buy good bowlers at the IPL auction in February.
“Yes, it was a pre-planned strategy (to have a formidable bowling attack). We used analytics (for the auction). We had an analytics team. It analysed how we can win the IPL title. Everyone thought, four-five years ago, that it’s only the batting that matters. However, all the franchises have now realized that having a strong bowling attack matters too. We were fortunate that the players (bowlers) we bought (at the IPL auction) weren’t retained by their franchises,” Barthakur said.
Meanwhile, Rajasthan Royals and Schneider Electric announced on Monday to host IPL-2022’s first ‘carbon neutral’ match. Apparently, an IPL match emits approximately 10,000 tons of CO2 equivalent, and Schneider Electric will offset this carbon footprint generated during Royals’ match with Delhi Capitals on Wednesday by planting approximately 17,000 trees.
