Boosted By Smith's Return

- Shayan Acharya

Aside that is led by Ajinkya Rahane, and has heavyweights such as Ben Stokes, Steven Smith and Jos Butler in its ranks,has to be taken seriously.

And for this, Rajasthan Royals is being considered one of the favourites in the Indian Premier League (IPL) this time around.

Last year, the side made it to the play-offs, and this time even as most of the line-up remains intact, the franchise has got a boost with the return of Smith.

Smith missed out on the IPL action in 2018 as he was suspended by Cricket Australia for being involved in the ball-tampering episode. But now with his return, the batting department is set to benefit.

However, there are fitness concerns for the Aussie star, who underwent a surgery a couple of months ago. But the franchise bosses are hopeful that Smith will be able to feature right from the start.

True to its reputation, the Rajasthan outfit strikes a perfect balance between star power and youth. While the side will be banking heavily on the experience of skipper Rahane, the batting department will largely be dependent on Smith, Butler and Stokes. Having been with the franchise for a long time, both Smith and Rahane have a clear understanding of the expectations and that would certainly help them deliver the goods.