IPL 2025: 4 overseas players who will start for Rajasthan Royals (RR)

Rajasthan Royals (RR) are coming into IPL 2025 with a set of just six overseas players. They have two other overseas slots empty, which they can fill up while signing any replacements during the tournament. 

Currently, the six overseas are Shimron Hetmyer, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Kwena Maphaka and Jofra Archer. Among these six signings, here are the four overseas players who can feature in the starting XI of their first game.

SHIMRON HETMYER

Shimron Hetmyer had three good seasons with RR, where he solidified himself as the finisher for the team. Coming in at #5 or #6 position and accelerating the innings, adding 20-30 extra runs in the final overs while batting first or finishing off the targets in style with an over or two remaining.

In the final five overs, he maintained a superb strike rate of 183. His ability to attack and find consistent results in scoring in the final overs is the main reason for him to be the first overseas priority in IPL 2025.

JOFRA ARCHER

Jofra Archer will be making a comeback to IPL after two years, last playing for MI in the IPL 2023. This return will be more special as the English pacer will be coming back to his first IPL franchise for whom he took 46 wickets in 35 games across three seasons between 2018 and 2020. 

He will be the leader of the bowling attack and manage the pace battery along with Indian speedsters Sandeep Sharma, Tushar Deshpande, Akash Madhwal and Yudhvir Singh. 

During his time in RR, Archer found success with both new and old ball, taking 17 and 20 wickets in powerplay and the final five overs. He even did well in middle overs, picking up nine wicket at an excellent economy of 6.7

WANINDU HASARANGA

Wanindu Hasaranga has been one of the premium all-rounders in T20 cricket in the last five years. He is currently ranked third in the ICC T20 Bowling Rankings. 

He had a great calendar year in 2024, picking up 75 wickets in 43 T20s at an excellent bowling SR of 13.0. In IPL, he has played two seasons for RCB in 2022 and 2023, picking up a total of 35 wickets at an economy of 8.1 with a bowling SR of 15.8. 

FAZALHAQ FAROOQI

Fazalhaq Farooqi has been one of the most improved bowlers in international cricket over the last calendar year. The Afghani pacer has been with SRH in the IPL since 2022. He played only seven games across the three seasons, picking up just six wickets. 

In international and other T20 competitions, he has been terrific. He picked 24 wickets for Afghanistan in the last 12 months, 17 of which came in the ICC T20 World Cup 2024, where he ended up being the joint highest wicket-taker of the tournament. He has already started 2025 with a bang, taking a five-wicket haul in the first game of ILT20.