The series of speculations on who’ll grab the cup this IPL season have started pouring in ahead of the tournament opener on Friday. Defending champions Gujrat Titans take on four times winners Chennai Super Kings later Friday to set off IPL 2023.
Delhi Capitals coach Ricky Ponting, however, believes none of these two will make the final this year.
In an episode of ICC Review, he was asked to pick up his favorites besides his own side, Delhi Capitals. And he chose the Rajasthan Royals.
IPL 2023 Factbox: Everything you need to know about Rajasthan Royals
Ponting seemed very impressed by the side’s pick for the squad last season and how they have built on that this year.
“Obviously Gujarat (Titans) last year were amazing, a brand new team and were able to win the tournament. The other finalist last year, Rajasthan Royals, I think have got a really, really good squad. And we said that last year, immediately after the auction, we were pretty impressed with what they were able to do and put a good squad together. They’ve only built on that again this year. I think Rajasthan will be there, thereabouts.”
“It’s a hard game to judge and a hard game to understand who’s going to win. Who stands up in the moment will generally win more often than not. But if I’m looking at the squads, Rajasthan has got a good squad as anybody,” he said.
Rajasthan Royals, the winner of the IPL’s inaugural season in 2008, have only managed to make it to the final only once ever since; last year when Gujrat Titans defeated them to win the trophy in their debut season.
Led by Sanju Samson, the Royals are poised to pick up their campaign right where they left it last year.
They will start their season on 2 April with a match against the 2016 winners Sunrisers Hyderabad.
This is not the first prediction made in the favour of the Royals.
Earlier, former captain of England Michael Vaughan had also picked them as the favorites going into the tournament.
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