IPL 2018: Rajasthan Royals to announce skipper for upcoming season shortly

Rajasthan Royals will make a comeback into the IPL this year after serving a two-year ban. Although they weren’t left with many retention choices, they got in a formidable side at the IPL auction this year. Having only retained Australian skipper Steve Smith, they build a squad around him. They managed to get some top class players like Ajinkya Rahane, Ben Stokes, and Jaydev Undakat.

Furthermore, the Rajasthan team has also begun its training camp with all the available players. While it was expected that Steve Smith would lead the side, there is still ambiguity about their skipper. With quite a few options available, the management wanted to make the best choice and thus, haven’t announced the skipper. It seems that the management has zeroed upon its options and is all set to announce the skipper of the side.

Rajasthan Royals plans to announce skipper in a unique way

The Rajasthan Royals is eyeing the glorious trophy this year and wants to leave no stone unturned. They plan to announce their team skipper for the 11th edition of the tournament on television on Saturday. Also, it will be the first time that an IPL franchisee would be declaring their captain in such a fashion. They would want to choose a man who could lead by example.

The likes of Steve Smith, Ajinkya Rahane, Ben Stokes, and Jos Buttler seem to be the options as of now. Considering Smith’s success as the Australian captain and Rising Pune Supergiant captain, he could be a top contender for the post. With all his experience, he brings a lot to the table and also can lead by example.

Shane Warne, who was appointed the mentor of the side this year also had his say on this matter. “The captain plays an important role as there are players coming from different countries and he needs to bring them all together. A captain is instrumental in creating a culture within the team wherein everyone gels with each other on and off the field,” he said.

Warne captained the Royals in 2008 and also is the first ever captain to lift the IPL trophy. “We indeed have some great choices – the likes of Ben Stokes, Ajinkya Rahane, Steve Smith – who bring leadership values with them. Jos Buttler to has capabilities to lead a team,” he added.  The new captain will be unveiled on Star Sports.