Steven Smith and Shane Watson - Rajasthan Royals' centrepieces

Rajasthan Royals’ Steven Smith and Shane Watson

After Rajasthan Royals’ title winning campaign in 2008, it has had underwhelming seasons since. While the Royals side has accumulated a stellar reputation of being quietly resilient, the big games have returned to haunt the side.

So when Rajasthan Royals get off the mark in IPL 2015 , the players will be aching to change the script of their fortune.

Central to the Royals’ fortunes this season, among other important players, will be Shane Watson and Steve Smith. Shane Watson will be continuing his role as captain of the side, while Smith will fit in – rather seamlessly – into this squad that boasts of quite a few stars and many home-grown talents alike.

Smith’s Catharsis

Steve Smith has had an incredible few months of cricket. He has been in near-invincible form. The series at home against India brought into sharp focus the extent of Smith’s resurgence.

It is well known that Smith had many a shortcoming in his batting technique. Pundits and coaches believed that these were indeed large holes in his armour and predicted that they would bring about his downfall. What they didn’t predict, what they didn’t foresee was how Smith has categorically exterminated those drawbacks in his technique.

When he is set in the middle, it seems as if he is playing on a different plane altogether. The ball seems to rise up to the sweet spot on his bat in its own leisurely pace. His range of strokes, still unorthodox, seems far more effective.

Over the last few months, he has led the team with his brave, dominating performances. He even proved that leadership does nothing to dent his confidence. If anything, one realized that leadership metastasizes Steve Smith into an even bigger formidable foe.

Smith has become a wonder to watch and behold and has grown into a fearsome match-winner.

Watson’s Inverse Trajectory

Shane Watson’s recent past has been curious and yet strangely predictable. Admittedly, injuries have reduced his potential. Injuries have made his form flicker from good to bad to amazing to lacklustre.

The Australian team selectors were always confident about Watson’s talent and despite his many dips in form, Watson would find his name on the team sheet, and in a crucial position in the batting line up.

The fact that Watson was dropped earlier in the just concluded World Cup brought to light two important factors: The CA’s patience with Watson is wearing thin, and the Australians have other alternatives to the all-rounder role, other potent alternatives, something which they have lacked for a while now.

That meant that Watson needed to roll up his sleeves, get knee deep and make his bat make some resounding music. He made a few decent scores in the World Cup, but he still has to notch up a few big scores to assure fans and administrators alike that Shane Watson is not a lost cause.

Will they roll in top gear?

With these two players forming the centrepiece, along with a few others, of the Royals plans, it would bode well for the franchise if they hit top gear soon and consistently. For Smith, continuing his good form may be all too easy and a good run in this tournament would send his already soaring reputation skyward. Watson has an opportunity to ensure that he stays a reckonable, reliable prospect for his national side.

It will certainly be interesting to track the performances of these two players, who have had contrasting build-ups to this tournament.