South Africa’s Rilee Rossouw, a superb batsman, was one of the Delhi Capitals’ (DC) most significant purchases in the 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL) auction. For the 2023 season, the franchise paid INR 4.6 crore to secure his services. But with his lackluster batting statistics, the Protea batter was unable to defend his spot on the squad.
Although Rilee Rossouw is renowned for his hard-hitting skills in the cricket world, he was unable to counter-bowl opponents during the 2023 IPL.
In nine games, he managed a pitiful average of 29.85 and only 209 runs. The Capitals have cut ties with him because of his underwhelming performance, and he will now be dealt another blow.
Rossouw will have a base price of INR 2 crore in the 2024 Indian Premier League auction, but, given his incredible batting ability, some teams may choose to take a chance on him. The 34-year-old has a wealth of league cricket experience and may contribute significantly to the lucrative league with meaningful innings.
These are the five groups that could target Rilee Rossouw at the next IPL auction.
1. Gujarat Titans (GT)
The return of experienced New Zealand batsman Kane Williamson will bolster the Gujarat Titans’ (GT) batting lineup, but they will need a reliable middle-order batsman to back David Miller. The GT team management gave Dasun Shanaka three matches in 2023, but he was unable to produce the expected outcomes.
Given that Rossouw has a lot of cricket experience with his national teammate David Miller, they might put their trust in him to do this duty during the next auction. His combination with the southpaw may benefit GT. In addition to this, Rossouw’s batting approach is another element that may draw in the Titans.
Rossouw can exert pressure on bowlers throughout middle overs with his aggressive batting style. After cutting nine players from the squad last month, GT will spend INR 38.5 crore to assemble a roster that features players of caliber.
2. Punjab Kings (PBKS)
The Punjab Kings (PBKS) are expected to win the championship in 2024 by their supporters, despite the fact that they haven’t made it to the playoffs since 2014. Bhanuka Rajapaksa was not on their retention list before the 2024 auction. PBKS is looking to spend the INR 29.10 crore that they still have in their coffers on players that can win them games.
Jonny Bairstow and Shikhar Dhawan are two of PBKS’s more seasoned players. Since Rossouw, a veteran of Protea, can hit for power and help Punjab fortify their middle order, they may recruit another veteran to the team. The arrival of Rossouw should give the Punjab-based team more confidence, as they already have aggressive hitters like Jitesh Sharma and Liam Livingstone.
3. Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH)
Although they haven’t played up to par in the past three seasons, Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) will want to duplicate their 2016 success and win the trophy a second time in 2024. In the 2023 IPL auction, they acquired Harry Brook, a young hitter from England. Brook did not help the squad perform well in the competition in exchange.
For SRH supporters, he produced a lackluster performance with 190 runs in 11 games. The franchise cut ties with him prior to the 2024 auction, citing his lack of performance. The Sunrisers will need to get a dependable middle-order batsman for the squad after letting go of the English mainstay. To bolster the team, the franchise may choose to sign the veteran from South Africa. Because he can play both middle and top order for the team, the 34-year-old will give SRH options.
4. Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB)
The prominent names of the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) team have been announced. Several prominent players were left off of the RCB’s retention list, including Josh Hazlewood, Wanindu Hasaranga, Harshal Patel, and Michael Bracewell. The Challengers will need to acquire a skilled middle-order hitter following Bracewell’s exit from the team.
Given the opportunity, Rossouw, an RCB player in 2014 and 2015, can be a tremendous asset to the squad. He can play incredible match-winning knocks for the Challengers, along with batting greats Glenn Maxwell, Faf du Plessis, and Virat Kohli.
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