The journey of the Rajasthan Royals (RR), one of the founding teams of the Indian Premier League (IPL), has been nothing short of a Bollywood blockbuster. Their memorable comeback story rivals any drama, suspense and thrill that can be found in popular culture.
The Beginning
In 2008, when IPL was first launched, RR was formed as a team with fewer star players/backed by relatively unknown names compared to other franchises. The team, coached then by Australian legend Shane Warne who also served as captain, defied all odds to emerge victorious in the inaugural season itself.
Building up Momentum
Even though they lacked big-name stars, RR adopted an unconventional approach focused on teamwork rather than individual performances. This strategy proved triumphant; despite being termed underdogs, they clinched the IPL title against Chennai Super Kings with three wickets in hand.
Facing Challenges
In the subsequent seasons post their initial triumph, RR faced stumbling blocks both on and off-field. They endured poor form from key players and barely managed to qualify for playoffs in some seasons, while failing miserably in others.
In addition to sporting challenges came setbacks off the field. In 2010 two of their players were suspended due allegations related to spot-fixing – an unfortunate episode that highlighted lack of integrity and sportsmanship amongst certain members of the squad which subsequently led to tarnishing the image of this respected franchise.
Rough Patch
- 2013 Spot Fixing Scandal:
- 2016-2017 Ban:
This incident marked the darkest times for RR as it led to the arrests of three main players, including then-national team hopeful Sreesanth. The controversy ended with RR and another franchise being suspended for two years by the Supreme Court of India.
In a landmark ruling, the BCCI announced in 2015 that it would suspend both franchises due to findings from an investigation into allegations of betting and spot-fixing during IPL 2013 season. This hurt not just the franchise but also its legion of fans.
The Comeback
RR took their ban period as a time for reflection and planning. They knew they had two years before they could return to action, and they made sure they utilized every day effectively to rebuild themselves – on and off-field. In 2018, they marked their re-entry into IPL with glory.
A Changed Roster
Before making a comeback to IPL in 2018, RR invested wisely at the player auctions. They roped in Ben Stokes and Jaydev Unadkat among others spending heavily, signaling their ambition for a strong return post ban. They even brought back Australian star Steve Smith, who was part of RR previously too.
This made their roster significantly stronger than ever before. Further enhancing their roster were players like Sanju Samson, Shreyas Gopal & Rahul Tewatia; making them an exciting mix of international stars and promising youngsters.
Fighting Back To Playoffs
- Back With A Bang
- Strong Performance in Recent Seasons:
The intense preparation paid off as Rajasthan fought against all odds to come storming back into contention for the title in their very first season post suspension. Fans cheered as they made it into playoffs against all expectations
Rajasthan, after their playoff finish in 2018 season continued their inspired performances. They’ve managed to stay competitive in the top tier and promise exciting cricket for fans with potential always existent to clinch their second IPL title.
In conclusion, the Rajasthan Royals have had a journey filled with ups and downs that has been closely followed by millions of passionate cricket fans worldwide. Their unlikely triumphs, heartbreaking failures, distressing controversies culminating in their suspension from IPL and eventually an inspiring comeback – every step of the way, this team continues to surprise us and make headlines.
