In a blockbuster trade deal with Chennai Super Kings, Rajasthan Royals signed Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran in exchange for Sanju Samson. The keeper-batter was one of the most dependable batters in the side and also led the team to the IPL final in 2022, but his association with the franchise turned bitter in the past year, leading to a deal with CSK.
The reshuffle leaves Rajasthan with questions at the top of the order. Yashasvi Jaiswal is expected to open the innings alongside Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, a young talent who has shown promise but he doesnโt have enough experience of playing against elite bowlers. His attacking approach certainly has caught attention but it needs to be seen how the 14-year-old fairs in a long campaign.
This new combination could also influence Jaiswalโs approach. Previously, he often took on the aggressorโs role, with Samson adapting based on match situations. With Sooryavanshi known for his free-flowing style rather than building innings, the dynamic may shift. That potential adjustment raises an important question,ย will Jaiswal need to take on greater responsibility and alter his natural game?ย
People will look at Jaiswal with more responsibility: Du Plessis
Former South Africa international Faf du Plessis weighed in on the discussion, highlighting the responsibility Jaiswal will now have on his shoulders. He expects Jaiswal to continue playing an aggressive brand of cricket, which he is known for, but with a bit of balance.
“The thing with Yashasvi Jaiswal is that he’s had Sanju Samson, who has been such a huge, consistent performer within that batting line-up. So, when you have that consistency of runs from Sanju, it allows you to play your game. Now, you take that away, all of a sudden, people will look at him with more responsibility,โ du Plessis said in JioStarโs Game Plan.
โAnd for a player like him, you don’t want him thinking about responsibility, you want him thinking, ‘I want to take the game on. I want to hit as many sixes as possible.’ So there’s a learning curve that’s going to come into his career this season, ‘Am I true to the game that I’ve always played, or do I take up the senior player role to score the bulk of the runs?’ So it’ll be interesting to see how that goes. I think he’ll still play in the way that he does. It would be silly not to, because he’s such an attacking player,โ he added.
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