IPL 2017: Squad strengths, weakness and prediction

Rising Pune Supergiants

Dhoni has been usurped as captain of RPS

RPS made all the headlines prior to the auction by announcing Steve Smith as their captain for the season and by pouching Ben Stokes for INR 14.5 crores during the auction. This has made them the most expensive franchise at INR 65.7 crore in 2017. RPS required a few Indian seamers in their squad and hence went for T Natarajan, Nathu Singh and Basil Thampi but had to be content with only Jaydev Unadkat.

Strengths: The Supergiants have a more settled top 6 than last year, when they were unlucky with injuries to their first choice players. They also have two first rate spinners in R Ashwin and Adam Zampa.

Weakness: For RPS, the seam bowling department remains their main worry, with the erratic Ashok Dinda and Ishwar Pandey as their two first-choice Indian bowlers, but all-rounders Ben Stokes and Daniel Christian could be their opening bowlers. They have a bare cupboard when it comes to backup batsmen, be it Indian or overseas.

Prediction: They may finish higher than what they did last year but a place in the play-off looks tough.