If three games are a substantial standard to measure a team’s title-chances, Rajasthan Royals are looking better suited for it than any other team in the ongoing edition of Indian Premier League. ‘Boss’ Buttler and Shimron Hetmyer are in the form of their lives and Captain Samson has played the aggressor rather on point. Even the bowling looks pretty solid this season: Trent Boult, Yuzi Chahal and Ravi Ashwin aren’t newbies. They’re proven performers in IPL circuit and they’ve only backed that status up until now.
Regardless, Trent Boult controls the powerplay and the spin-twin are meant to entangle the opposition during the middle-overs. Death bowling is not their expertise, and neither is it the lanky Prasiddh Krishna’s. Kangaroo-pacer Nathan Coulter-Nile seemed to be the man designated for that, and to hit a long-ball coming in at number seven. But as things stands, he’s been ruled out of TATA IPL 2022 altogether.
Reports reveal NCN had picked up a side-strain during Rajasthan’s first game of the season. He has already flown back to his homeland due to the same reason, thereby leaving a hole in an otherwise formidable RR unit. Thus, let us have a look at three potential players who can replace Nathan Coulter-Nile at Rajasthan Royals and fill that hole.
1. Dasun Shanaka
Current Sri-Lankan skipper across formats, Dasun Shanaka is more than capable for an all-rounder. The 30-year-old has 2985 T20 runs at 29.30 under his belt, and the fact that they’ve come at a strike rate in excess of 140 makes him fit the bill as someone who can provide finishing touches. His recent scores of 47*(19) and 72*(38) against India only make his case stronger.
Bowling is definitely not the better half of his game thus far but whenever he’s bowled in the middle or death overs in recent history, he has done well. T20 international economy and bowling-average of 7.81 and 23.44 respectively prove his potential with the cherry in hand.
2. Ben Cutting
Boasting a strike-rate of 148 to go with 2718 T20 runs, this brute of an all-rounder from Australia was unlucky not to be sold during this IPL season’s mega-auction. However, it is better late than never to have someone with an IPL strike-rate of 169 in your ranks. But don’t let his hitting prowess fool you into believing that he isn’t useful as a bowler, because Big Bash League and IPL stats combined, Ben boasts of 78 scalps at an economy under nine runs per over. Long-hits and deceptive slower-ones, do you hear us RR?
3. David Wiese
One of the most sought-after T20 players across the globe, David Wiese has made headlines in every other twenty-20 cricketing league barring IPL. David’s previous appearance in IPL was for Royal Challengers Bangalore, for whom he played 15 matches, averaging over 30 with the bat and taking 16 wickets with the ball.
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Rajasthan Royals need someone that can bat at number six/seven and the first 2 options serve that propose alright. But as good as they are as a bowler, they can’t replace NCN’s bowling prowess effectively. Nonetheless, David Wiese can. Cunning as they come, he has aced his yorkers, slower-ones, and hurrying bouncers. Rajasthan needs a wicket-taking option who specialises in bowling at the back end of the innings. Namibia’s darling, Wiese -with 224 T20 wickets spread across a decade-long career- fills that void better than anyone else I have in mind.