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Fast bowler Avesh Khan is all set to move from Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) to Rajasthan Royals (RR) for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 season, while LSG will acquire the services of left-handed batter Devdutt Padikkal from RR in return. The swap deal is said to have taken place as part of the trade window.
According to a report in ESPNcricinfo, the two franchises as well as the players agreed to the trade last week and the same will soon become official. Avesh, who has been picked in India’s squad for the five-match T20I series against Australia at home, was purchased by LSG in the 2022 mega auction for ₹10 crore.
On the other hand, RR acquired the services of batter Padikkal for an impressive sum of ₹7.75 crore at the same auction. Both Avesh and Padikkal were retained by the respective franchises for the 2023 season but failed to make much of an impact.
In the wake of the Avesh-Padikkal trade swap, we analyze which team has benefited more from the deal.
Rajasthan Royals need wicket-taking pacer for IPL 2024
Rajasthan Royals had a mixed 2023 season. They went into the edition with high hopes but failed to qualify for the playoffs. RR finished in fifth position with 14 points, winning seven matches and losing as many. One of the reasons they could not make the desired impact is that Rajasthan did not have too many wicket-taking pacers.
Leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal stood out, with 21 wickets from 14 matches at an average of 20.57. However, when it came to the fast bowling department, seasoned New Zealand left-armer Trent Boult was the only one who made a mark, with 13 wickets from 10 games. Considering his reputation, it can be stated that even Boult underperformed.
If we look at the other fast bowlers who turned out for Rajasthan Royals during IPL 2023, they fared even worse. Sandeep Sharma had 10 scalps at an average of just under 40. The experienced Jason Holder had four wickets in eight matches, Navdeep Saini three in two, KM Asif three in four and Kuldip Yadav two in two.
The purpose of bringing Avesh into RR’s scheme of things is obviously to strengthen the pace bowling attack. Whether it’s the right move, though, is something that only time will tell. The 26-year-old is talented without doubt but did not have a great season for LSG in IPL 2023.
In nine matches, he only managed to pick up eight wickets at an average of 35.37 and a highly disappointing economy rate of 9.75.
In the 2022 IPL season, though, he tasted a lot more success, claiming 18 wickets in 13 matches at an average of 23.11. Rajasthan Royals will be hoping for a similar performance from him during the upcoming IPL. Avesh's form will be on test during the five-match T20I series against Australia.
Could Padikkal be LSG’s answer to their No. 3 woes?
Unlike Rajasthan Royals, Lucknow Super Giants qualified for the IPL 2023 playoffs, with eight wins from 14 games, before being knocked out in the Eliminator. One of their Achilles' heel during the season was the No. 3 position. They placed their faith in Deepak Hooda, but he had a disastrous season and was pretty much a walking wicket.
Towards the end of the season, they had run out of patience with Hooda and tried out the likes of Prerak Mankad and Krunal Pandya, but with limited success. The addition of Padikkal to the squad definitely seems like an attempt to bolster the No. 3 position. The left-handed batter has the ability to open the innings, can bat one down, and in the middle order as well.
Again, while tactically the trade deal sounds like the shrewd one, the success of the move will eventually depend on the performance of the player. Like Avesh, Padikkal too did not have a great IPL 2023 season.
The 23-year-old played 11 games for RR, scoring 261 runs at an average of 26.10 and a strike rate of 130.50, with only two half-centuries. In the previous season as well, he was averaging in the low 20s.
Coming back to the question of which team franchise between RR and LSG benefited from the Avesh-Padikkal swap, there is no definite answer to it as of now. Both teams had their genuine reason to agree on the deal. It’s up to the players now to back up the switch with their performances.
