TL;DR
- Rajasthan Royals traded captain Sanju Samson to Chennai Super Kings for Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran.
- RR has ₹16.05 crore purse and prioritizes strengthening their bowling lineup and recruiting a leg-spinner.
- Potential pace bowling targets include Simranjeet Singh, Mohit Sharma, Kuldeep Sen, and Akash Deep.
- Key leg-spin options for the international slot are Adam Zampa and Rahul Chahar.
Rajasthan Royals (RR) is set for a major shake-up, merely a year following the massive auction, after concluding the season in 9th place on the standings, securing just 4 victories.
Ahead of the auction, they have traded their captain Sanju Samson away to the Chennai Super Kings in exchange for Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran.
As they look to solve some major bowling issues, we explore their potential targets for the season.
RR IPL 2026 squad, purse issues
After completing multiple trades and releasing most of their Indian bowling attack, RR are left with ₹16.05 crore left in their purse.
The team's primary focus during the auction will be their bowling lineup, with Jofra Archer spearheading the charge. Furthermore, they aim to recruit a leg-spinner to bolster the squad, following the departures of Maheesh Theekshana and Wanindu Hasaranga.
Subsequently, they'll aim to secure economical choices to bolster their middle order, following Nitish Rana's departure.
READ MORE: Did RR hint at Sangakkara as IPL 2026 coach?
Pacers for RR:
With a limited budget to spend, RR's primary concern will be to address the fast bowling roster.
The bowling unit currently features Sandeep Sharma and Tushar Deshpande, with Jofra Archer leading the group, complemented by Kwena Maphaka and Nandre Burger as key pacers.
The following are some good market opportunities for them in the pace bowling department:
- Simranjeet Singh
- Mohit Sharma
- Kuldeep Sen
- Akash Deep
Leg-spinners for RR:
Following the departures of Hasaranga and Theekshana, RR's spin attack now primarily consists of Jadeja, with Riyan Parag offering occasional support.
This is the sole area where they can utilize their last international slot, with Adam Zampa available. Their choices are as follows.
- Adam Zampa
- Rahul Chahar
- Vignesh Puthur
- Karn Sharma
Middle-order batters for RR:
The Royals possess considerable young talent in their middle order, notably Parag and Dhruv Jurel. The acquisition of Donavon Ferreira allows them to consider another Indian batsman, potentially secured at a more economical price from the auction.
- Mahipal Lomror
- Abhinav Manohar
- Karan Sharma