IPL 2020 | Rajasthan Royals had a really good auction, reckons Steve Smith
Getty
Newly-appointed Royals skipper Steve Smith believes that his side had a really good auction and stated that he was hopeful of his team making inroads in the upcoming season. Smith also expressed his excitement in having the likes of Robin Uthappa, Yashasvi Jaiswal and David Miller in the team.
After a one-year hiatus from the game, Steve Smith made his full-fledged return to world cricket in IPL 2019 with Rajasthan Royals, scoring more than 300 runs at an average close to 40. And albeit him not starting the season off as captain, owing to the poor performances of Ajinkya Rahane which saw the Indian being dropped from the team, Smith took over as captain mid-way through the season, guiding his side to multiple wins before flying to UAE to represent his country.
And after retaining the former Aussie skipper prior to the auction, the Jaipur franchise confirmed that the Australian would be taking over the captaincy reins in the upcoming season, with Rahane leaving the club. Smith, who also subsequently made his return to T20I cricket in the Australian home summer, believes that his side assembled a really good team and also expressed his excitement in leading the Royals. The 30-year-old was also hopeful of his side, who finished 7th in the 2019 edition, making some inroads in the forthcoming season.
âIt's exciting to be back leading the Royals. I have had a few opportunities to lead the Royals throughout and I donât think I have actually started a year as captain before so I am excited about that,â Smith told Sportstar.Â
âI think we have a really good squad, some quality Indian players, some terrific overseas players and I think we have got a good mix of experience and youth. We had a good auction. I am looking forward to this year, hopefully we can start well and build momentum throughout and hopefully be there in finals,â the newly-appointed Royals skipper added.Â
Veteran Robin Uthappa, U19 star Yashasvi Jaiswal, Tom Curran, David Miller and Oshane Thomas were few of the big names brought in by the Jaipur-based franchise in the auction, and the Aussie run-machine expressed his delight in having a good mix of youth and experience in the side. With the Royals having last reached the final of the tournament way back in 2008, Smith was hopeful of the franchise âgiving the tournament a shakeâ this season and reaching the final.Â
âI have heard some terrific things about young (Yashasvi) Jaiswal, weâve got Robin Uthappa with some experience having played a lot in the IPL. Tom Curran whoâs been smashing it in the big bash, I think David Miller has been a proven performer at the IPL, weâve got Oshane Thomas back who played really well at the back end of last season.Â
âSo yeah, I think weâve got a good mix and hopefully we can give the tournament a shake this year and be in the finals.â
