Rajasthan Royals retain Shane Watson, Ajinkya Rahane, James Faulkner, Stuart Binny and Sanju Samson
Rajasthan Royals became the third team after Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals to retain the core of their side by holding onto five players from their squad in the previous edition.
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The finalists of Champions League T20 2013, Rajasthan Royals, have retained five of the players from the previous squad -- Shane Watson, Ajinkya Rahane, James Faulkner, Stuart Binny and Sanju Samson, for the seventh edition of the Indian Premier League.
According to an official press release, Raghu Iyer, the CEO of Rajasthan Royals confirmed the retention list and said, "As a team, we have been very fortunate to have a number of truly talented cricketers who have come forward to perform at times when it has mattered the most. The five retained players are true match winners, an impressive blend of young talent and experience. They have demonstrated resilience, commitment and a great attitude, embodying the spirit of the Rajasthan Royals team. We are confident that under the continued mentorship of the legendary Rahul Dravid the Rajasthan Royals will be a very strong contender in IPL 2014"
After strong performances last year, it comes as no surprise as Rajasthan have retained five players who were instrumental in the previous season. While Shane Watson turned games singlehandedly with his aggressive hitting, the likes of Ajinkya Rahane and Sanju Samson proved to be consistent and handy batting options at the top of the order. This will be Watson's seventh season with Rajasthan.
Rajasthan Royals have also put their faith in James Faulkner, who picked up two five-wicket hauls in the previous season and Stuart Binny, who played the role of a useful allrounder.