Rajasthan Royals needed an attacking Indian wrist-spinner to complement Jadeja and secured Ravi Bishnoi, the best available option in the auction pool.

Rajasthan Royals (RR) entered the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 mini-auction with a purse of Rs 16.05 crore. In November, the franchise took a bold call by releasing nine players, including captain and wicketkeeper Sanju Samson, as part of a major trade with the Chennai Super Kings that brought back Ravindra Jadeja and added England all-rounder Sam Curran. The think-tank also traded out Nitish Rana to the Delhi Capitals and acquired South African wicketkeeper-batter Donovan Ferreira.

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RR IPL Auction 2026: Rajasthan Royals full squad after auction and complete players list

As a result, their auction strategy was largely tactical. They needed an attacking Indian wrist-spinner to complement Jadeja and secured Ravi Bishnoi, the best available option in the auction pool. They also picked up young Vignesh Puthur at base price, signed Adam Milne as cover for the injury-prone Jofra Archer, and reunited with uncapped Indian pacer Kuldeep Sen.

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RR’s biggest strengths

Sunn liyo na, Rajasthan? 💗 pic.twitter.com/eG5KVEqHEE

— Rajasthan Royals (@rajasthanroyals) December 17, 2025

RR’s biggest strength ahead of IPL 2026 lies in their all-round balance and bowling depth. The presence of Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran gives RR match-up flexibility across phases with both bat and ball. Their bowling attack looks well-rounded, with genuine pace options in Jofra Archer, Nandre Burger and Sandeep Sharma, complemented by elite middle-overs control through Ravi Bishnoi. A settled top order led by Yashasvi Jaiswal ensures strong powerplay momentum, while the Impact Player rule allows RR to maximise their bowling resources without compromising batting depth.

RR’s biggest weaknesses

Rajasthan’s biggest weakness is their batting composition. In their probable first-choice XI, they have only two right-hand batters in the top seven, making the line-up predictable and easier to match up against, particularly for teams with quality off-spin spin and left-arm pace. A heavily left-handed top order allows opposition captains to lock into favourable bowling plans and maintain consistent field settings, reducing tactical flexibility through the middle overs.

Additionally, RR lack a proven Indian finisher. In pressure situations, especially during tight chases or on slower surfaces, the absence of a reliable domestic finisher could hurt their ability to close out games consistently.

IPL Auction 2026: 
Full List of sold and unsold players

What RR could have done differently in the auction

Rajasthan Royals could have prioritised adding a proven Indian right-handed batter or finisher to balance their heavily left-handed top order. Investing in a reliable domestic middle-order option would have improved matchup flexibility and late-innings stability. An additional Indian pace-bowling all-rounder could also have strengthened squad balance across different conditions and different circumstances.

Ravi Bishnoi is headed to Rajasthan Royals for the next season for IPL. Image: ReutersIPL 2026 auction, players purchased by RR

Ravi Bishnoi (Rs 7.20 crore), Ravi Singh (Rs 95 lakh), Sushant Mishra (Rs 90 lakh), Vignesh Puthur (Rs 30 lakh), Yash Raj Punja (Rs 30 lakh), Aman Rao (Rs 30 lakh), Brijesh Sharma (Rs 30 lakh), Kuldeep Sen (Rs 75 lakh), Adam Milne (Rs 2.40 crore)

RR squad for IPL 2026

Ravindra Jadeja, Sam Curran, Donovan Ferreira, Sandeep Sharma, Shubham Dubey, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Lhuan-Dre Pretorius, Shimron Hetmyer, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel, Riyan Parag, Yudhvir Singh Charak, Jofra Archer, Tushar Deshpande, Kwena Maphaka, Nandre Burger, Ravi Bishnoi, Sushant Mishra, Yash Raj Punja, Vignesh Puthur, Ravi Singh, Aman Rao, Brijesh Sharma, Adam Milne, Kuldeep Sen

RR predicted playing XI for IPL 2026

Yashasvi Jaiswal, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel (WK), Ravindra Jadeja (C), Shimron Hetmyer (Overseas), Sam Curran (Overseas), Jofra Archer (Overseas), Ravi Bishnoi, Nandre Burger (Overseas), Sandeep Sharma

Impact player: Vignesh Puthur/ Shubham Dubey

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