New Delhi, Dec 29 (IANS) Former India cricketer Robin Uthappa believes that leadership will be the defining factor for the Rajasthan Royals’ (RR) success in the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League.

The franchise emerged with a formidable squad, bolstered by key trades and acquisitions such as Ravindra Jadeja, Sam Curran, and leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi, following the IPL 2026 mini-auction. However, the captaincy remains an unanswered question, with the team trading their Sanju Samson, who led them till 2025, to the Chennai Super Kings.

Speaking to JioStar, the former India batter lauded RR’s bowling arsenal, noting the advantage of having around 10 fast bowlers for varied options. “The advantage Rajasthan Royals have is the fact that they have 10 fast bowlers, offering a lot of options. If they bowl in the right areas at SMS Stadium, Jaipur, they can be very successful. With spinners like Bishnoi and Jadeja, support from Shimron Hetmyer and Donovan Ferreira, and depth in the batting order with Dhruv Jurel and Riyan Parag, they now have a well-rounded team,” Uthappa said.

On the team’s captaincy, he added, “The only question is leadership. My feeling is the captaincy will likely be between Riyan Parag and Ravindra Jadeja, while Jaiswal might need to wait a bit longer.”

Legendary spinner Kumble echoed the squad’s balance, pointing to talented youngsters, proven performers, and versatile all-rounders. He stressed fitness concerns for key pacers like Jofra Archer but reserved his strongest remarks for leadership.

“When you look at this lineup, the captaincy will be the most decisive factor. If you want to replicate the kind of personality Sanju Samson brought to Rajasthan Royals, Dhruv Jurel is probably the closest match. Beyond that, the squad is strong, with talented youngsters, proven players, and all-rounders. The fitness of key players like Jofra Archer at the start of the IPL is also crucial. Ultimately, the management needs to identify and communicate who the captain will be,” Kumble asserted.

–IANS

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