'RR an improved team, but bowling will need to click'
Devastating batting line-up is well complemented by the Indian spinners, but can their injury-prone bowling attack stick together?
Dasun Shanaka has replaced* the injured Sam Curran at Rajasthan Royals (RR) for IPL 2026 and has informed his PSL team, Lahore Qalandars, of his decision.
Shanaka will join RR for INR 2 crore (US$ 214,000 approx.).
"Sam brings immense value with both bat and ball," Kumar Sangakkara, director of cricket and head coach, RR, said. "However, we are pleased to have found an ideal replacement in Dasun Shanaka, a finisher with the bat and a quality all-rounder who helps maintain the balance of our side."
Curran, who was part of a pre-auction trade between Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and RR in which CSK acquired Sanju Samson and RR also got Ravindra Jadeja, has a groin issue, which has ruled him out of the IPL.
Qalandars, meanwhile, are replacing Shanaka with Australia allrounder Daniel Sams. PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi recently also said the board will be taking action against players such as Shanaka and Blessing Muzarabani who have been opting out of the PSL for IPL deal.
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Shanaka, a lower-order batter and medium-pace bowler who led Sri Lanka at the recent T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka, comes in with good batting form: he hit a 20-ball 50 against Oman and 76 not out in 31 balls against Pakistan. He has played one season of the IPL in the past, in 2023, when he played three games for Gujarat Titans (GT) with unspectacular returns.
He becomes the second player to walk away from his PSL team to join an IPL franchise in the past few days after Muzarabani opted out of his deal with Islamabad United once Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) reached out to him to be a replacement for Mustafizur Rahman, who the team had to release on instructions from the BCCI because of geopolitical tensions between India and Bangladesh.
For RR, Shanaka joins a strong list of overseas players, the others being Shimron Hetmyer, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Donovan Ferreira, Jofra Archer, Nandre Burger, Kwena Maphaka and Adam Milne.
RR, who finished one off the bottom last season, begin their IPL 2026 campaign next Monday, March 30, in Guwahati against CSK.
*1145 GMT, March 23: The story was updated after an IPL release was issued.