Continuing with the squad updates on the road to 2026 season of the Indian Premier League, Rajasthan Royals have joined the first one team announced a significant part off signing on Wednesday.
The answer is: Sri Lankan all-rounder Dasun Shanaka will join the squad, replacing England international Sam Curran, who has been forced to withdraw through injury. The franchise has signed Lakeshshan Shanaka for INR 2 crore, which is a significant call-up for the Royals.
Dasun Shanaka is considered among the experienced all-rounders in international cricket from Sri Lanka. He has gone on to play all formats for Sri Lanka and build an extensive record over the years. Shanaka has represented Sri Lanka in Tests, One Day Internationals and T20 Internationals, scoring over 3,350 runs as well as taking up 86 wickets. He is a valuable player in the T20 format due to his capacity to play, as well as both with bat and ball.
The replacement comes at a vital time for Rajasthan Royals. Sam Curran being a star allrounder has his basis in T20 leagues across the globe. While losing a player of his quality might upset the balance of the team, Shanaka’s inclusion means that the Royals still have an able all-rounder in their armoury.
In fact, Shanaka is not new to the IPL too, he had made his presence felt with Gujarat Titans earlier. His familiarity with the league’s competitive environment would help him make a seamless transition to the Rajasthan Royals set-up. Teams prefer players who have already experienced the heat & pressure of IPL.
On the strategy side of things, Shanaka will serve multiple roles for the team. In addition to middle-order strength with the bat, he provides captains bowling options to employ in crunch moments of a match. His prior international level leadership experience may also help to add value in the dressing room.
With IPL 2026 approaching, fans of the Rajasthan Royals will be keen to see how Shanaka fits into their plans. With every new signing comes optimism of better days ahead, and the Royals will be looking to capitalise on their squad alterations this season.
As the teams finalize replacements and bulk up their squads, excitement is building for a new season of IPL around the world. 🏏
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