RR's predicted playing XI for Match 4 of IPL 2023 vs SRH

The Rajasthan Royals (RR) are on the back of one of their best-ever seasons in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Sanju Samson and Co. reached the final of last year's competition, where they lost to the Gujarat Titans (GT). This time around, RR will want to go one step further and clinch the trophy that has eluded them since the inaugural edition of the league in 2018.

The Royals will commence their campaign with a clash against fellow tournament favorites Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on Sunday, April 2. The afternoon fixture will be their first real test.

Who will take the field for the Royals in their first game of the new season? Here is RR's predicted playing XI for Match 4 of IPL 2023 against SRH.

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Most of RR's playing XI is fairly straightforward. Jos Buttler and Yashasvi Jaiswal are certain to open the batting. While the former is on the back of an Orange Cap-winning IPL season, the latter has set domestic cricket on fire with his performances.

Devdutt Padikkal might not be a definite pick in RR's playing XI, though, despite the franchise's heavy investment in him. The left-hander looks out of place in the middle order and has struggled to get going, particularly against the spinners.

Padikkal has not been in eye-catching form either, having dealt with some health issues recently. The Royals might decide to sacrifice him and bring in either Akash Vashisht or Abdul PA, depending upon the conditions. But at the start of the tournament, they might stick with the young southpaw.

Riyan Parag is another RR player who has had an exceptional domestic season. RR Director of Cricket Kumar Sangakkara has spoken about using the youngster higher up the order in IPL 2023, and we might see him earn a promotion or two.

The West Indian duo of Shimron Hetmyer and Jason Holder will occupy the lower-middle order. Both will have important roles, the former as a finisher and the latter as an all-phase bowler who can chip in with a few runs.

The spin duo of Ravichandran Ashwin and Yuzvendra Chahal are inseparable. Trent Boult, meanwhile, should start ahead of Obed McCoy, who only recently recovered from an injury. The Kiwi left-arm pacer hasn't been in great form and Rajasthan will need him to find his bearings soon.

Without Prasidh Krishna, the final spot in the RR playing XI is up for grabs. Kuldeep Sen, who can crank it up and boasts of a mean yorker, is the frontrunner to be picked. Sandeep Sharma, a canny powerplay operator, could be in the impact player conversation.

RR's predicted playing XI for Match 4 of IPL 2023: Jos Buttler, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Devdutt Padikkal, Sanju Samson (c & wk), Riyan Parag, Shimron Hetmyer, Jason Holder, Ravichandran Ashwin, Trent Boult, Kuldeep Sen, Yuzvendra Chahal.

Note: Playing XIs are bound to vary majorly in IPL 2023, with the introduction of the impact player rule as well as captains having the chance to name their side after the result of the toss is known.