IPL 2009 Preview: Rajasthan Royals

Rajasthan Royals

The inaugural champions are a best price 9-1 with Bet365 to retain their crown. The least favoured side in 2008, is once again led by Warne. Graeme Smith best odds to be the Royals top batter at 2.2 and 23-1 to be the top tournament batter. Shaun Tait is 3rd favuourite at 16-1 to be the tournaments best bowler. Having 3 South African players could be a big advantage for the Rajasthan Royals.

Key Players: Shane Warne, Shane Watson, Morne Morkel, Yusuf Pathan, Graeme Smith.

Ins and outs: Pakistanis Sohail Tanvir, Kamran Akmal and Younus Khan are out. Tyron Henderson, and Shaun Tait in.

Interesting Fact: Former Big Brother winner and Bollywood star Shilpa Shetty is one of the clubs owners.

Batsmen
Graeme Smith is the 28 year old captain and left handed opener for the South African team. Opened the batting in 2008, and set to continue. He's one of the favourites to take the top batting honours. You can get him for 3.5 at Stan James to be the Rajasthan Royals top batter.
Yusuf Pathan is a 26 year old Indian ODI and Twenty20 specialist. Hard hitting right handed batsman and part time offbreak bowler. He's down as 3rd favourite in the Royals line up to grab top batting honours.
Swapnil Asnodkar 25 year old Indian domestic hard hitting right handed attacking opening batsman. Called up to an Indian emerging players tour to Israel in July 2008. Second favourite to take top batting honours at Stan James. An emerging player, and probably priced low in most fantasy games.
Robert Quiney - 26 year old Australian domestic cricketer. Left handed middle-order batsman. Now how many games will he play?
Lee Carseldine is a 33 year old Australian domestic all rounder. Left-hand batter and medium pacer. The all rounder will probably be misclassified as a batsman in most fantasy games. But how many games will he get to play?
Mohammad Kaif is a 28 year old former Indian ODI. Recalled to test squad in 2008. Middle order batter.
Niraj Patel 28 year old Indian domestic left-handed middle order batsman.
Ravindra Jadeja 20 year old Indian U19 middle order batting all rounder and and slow left-arm orthodox bowler. Called up to the Indian squad for the ODI series against Sri Lanka in January 2009.
Dinesh Salunkhe 27 year old Indian lower order right handed batter. Never played 1st class cricket. Shot to fame when he was chosen as 'Man of the Series' in the first season of Cricket Star, India's first-ever cricket talent-hunting reality television show. His prize was a scholarship with Leicestershire County Cricket Club for the 2007 English cricket season. During this period, Salunkhe played in some games for Leicestershire Second XI. Upon returning to India he was signed up to play for the Air India cricket team.

Wicket Keepers

Mahesh Rawat 23 year old Indian domestic keeper and right handed batter.

All Rounders

Shane Watson 27 year old Australian international all rounder. Right-handed batsman and a fast medium bowler. IPL 2008 man of the series. One to get.
Tyron Henderson 34 year old South African domestic T20 all rounder specialist. Right-handed batter and fast-medium chucker. Sold for $650,000 at auction. Which saw a fierce bidding war between the Royals and Delhi Daredevils which resulted in him being sold for $550,000 more than his base price of $100,000. Holds the record for the most wickets taken in Twenty20 cricket.
Dimitri Mascarenhas 31 year ODI English International all rounder. Right handed batter and medium-fast bowler. Holds the record for most runs for England in an over in a One Day Internationals with 30.
Siddharth Trivedi 27 year old Indian domestic all rounder. Right handed batter and chucks down medium pace. Could make his full international bow in the near future after a string of stunning displays in the IPL. Has been called up to an Indian emerging players tour to Australia in July.

Bowlers

Shane Warne (Captain) 39 year old former Australian International and probably the greatest leg spin bowler in the history of cricket. Useful lower-order batsman, Warne also scored over 3000 Test runs, and he holds the record for most Test runs without a century. Take any tips or offers of smokes. Avoid the baked beans and pizzas.
Shaun Tait 26 year old Australian international. Right arm fast bowler and considered one of the fastest bowlers in the world. Delivers the ball with phenomenal speed, at around 150 km/h, and occasionally faster. Sometimes erratic and can be expensive. 375,000 at auction. 17-1 and 3rd favourite in the betting to take the most IPL wickets this season.
Shane Harwood 34 year old Australian domestic player. Right-arm fast-medium and has represented Australia in 3 Twenty20 Internationals.
Morné Morkel 24 year old South African right-arm fast bowler with "genuine pace" right-arm fast bowler .
Munaf Patel 25 year old Indian International Right arm medium-fast bowler
Sumeet Khatri 19 year old Indian domestic Slow left-arm chinaman bowler.
Anup Revandkar 21 year old Indian domestic Right-arm fast bowler.