The much-talked-about acquisition of inaugural IPL champions Rajasthan Royals has been completed with Kal Somani taking over the franchise for a valuation of 1.6 billion. The transfer of ownership will come into effect after the culmination of the 2026 IPL season, which is scheduled to start on March 28.
The Acquisition
The consortium will be led by Kal Somani and comprises Walmart. Both groups have acquired 100% stake in one of the oldest teams in the history of the IPL.
The Competitors
Other than the consortium, Times Group was also in the race to acquire Rajasthan Royals but finished as the second-highest bidder.
The Owner
50-year-old Kal Somani, who is from Scottsdale, Arizona, has a keen interest in golf, along with cricket, and is one of the founders of Motor City Sports Club, which is associated with Tiger Woods, the golfing legend.
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The Performance
Rajasthan Royals are heading into the new season under the leadership of Riyan Parag, who led the team for the majority of the last season and has been appointed as the full-time captain of the team in 2026.
Crossing The Line
Riyan Parag will have his task cut out, and the first thing he would like to ensure is that the team crosses the finish line, which it failed to do last season, from situations that the Royals wouldn’t have thought of losing the match.
The Squad
The Rajasthan Royals squad for the upcoming season has a good mix of youth and experience, with the biggest addition being Ravindra Jadeja, who was traded to the Rajasthan Royals from the five-time IPL champions Chennai Super Kings.
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The Role
The experienced all-rounder will provide much-needed solidity to the Royals’ middle order, which includes young names like Yashasvi Jaiswal, Vaibhav Soryavanshi, Dhruv Jurel and the captain Riyan Parag.
The Bowling
As far as the bowling attack of the Rajasthan Royals is concerned, that team suffered a major blow with all-rounder Sam Curran being ruled out of the tournament and has replaced him with Dasun Shanaka.
The Attack
While the batting lineup of Rajasthan Royals will rely on its Indian core, the bowling attack will be led by Jofra Archer, who wreaked havoc in the last season after being in the expensive side in the first match that he played.
The Support
Archer will be supported by Nandre Burger, who has been impressive in the short stint that he has had for South Africa at the international level, and will look to put his best foot forward in an attempt to win matches for his team in the IPL.
The Choice
Rajasthan Royals might have the luxury of going with three overseas pacers if they decide to play only one overseas batter in the top six in the form of Donovan Ferreira, who can also bowl a bit of spin if needed.
The Spin Bowling Arsnel
Apart from Ferreira, the Royals will have Ravindra Jadeja and Ravi Bishnoi to take care of the team’s spin bowling department, making it a force to reckon with, having got all the bases covered for the nineteenth season of the league.