Struggle Has Been Consistent For Inaugural Champs Rajasthan Royals

It's the final week of IPL 2021 in the UAE. And a familiar sight of the tournament remains with the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) making it to the final yet again, for a record ninth time. The consist

A player wants stability much like the franchise wants results. A player will not always have the best day or season, but the backing from the ones around and the assurance to the performer help the player bounce back quickly.

This season, injuries and non-availability of a few key players like Jofra Archer and Ben Stokes marred their team combination and with Jos Buttler not returning for the UAE leg, RR was dealt a big blow.

The seasoned players did stand up for them, led by captain Sanju Samson. But he fell short of fighting a lone battle at times. All teams had to hit the ground running in the UAE leg with only half the matches to play. A few good innings did come to the fore for the Royals, including a special bowling performance from Kartik Tyagi, who defended 4 runs in the last over against Punjab Kings.

But he missed a few games in the latter half of the tournament. One odd game might be due to a niggle he picked up, but the other games are anyone's guess. The bowlers got rotated very frequently. We saw Akash Singh in one game, but the next game he was replaced. The batters too went in and out trying to find the right playing 11; but to little success. It all still remained on the captain's shoulders.

Finishing the season in the bottom half leaves them with a lot to ponder upon, much like the earlier seasons. A steady core needs to be found for any team. Chennai, Mumbai and now Delhi have all gone the same path. You change, but not overhaul regularly. Sanju Samson hits a long ball from a stable base. Maybe something like that he may like to suggest for the next season.