IPL 2022: Rajasthan Royals squad has the potential to bring the cup home this year, says Shimron Hetmyer

West Indies star Shimron Hetmyer believes the Rajasthan Royals' squad under the tutelage of Kumar Sangakkara has what it takes to go all the way in IPL 2022.

After a high-impact season in 2021, striking at over 168, the ever so flamboyant and hard-hitting Shimron Hetmyer is now a part of the Rajasthan Royals. Into his fourth IPL season, the Guyanese batter was really able to have an impact in a finishing role and hopes to replicate the same as he joins up with the Royals for the upcoming edition of the IPL.

“I’m really excited to get going for the Royals,” the West Indian southpaw shared. “I’ve heard some really nice things about the franchise from my good friend Evin Lewis, and I can’t wait to get going and just enjoy myself as part of the squad," added the 25-year-old.

Playing for his third franchise in the tournament, Hetmyer was candid in talking about his IPL journey thus far, “My first season in the IPL at RCB was a challenging one, for a young player, and being the only West Indian in the squad was a tough one to start off in franchise cricket. IPL, in general, has been a wonderful learning experience that has taught me to look at myself and my game differently and has enabled me to learn and develop the right processes.”

The 2016 U-19 World Cup-winning captain also shared his initial experiences from back in the day, “I think it was 2018, I had a chance to go to a camp with the Royals in Mumbai and that was one of my first interactions with an IPL team. It felt like a great atmosphere back then, met some really thoughtful cricketing people and was again glad to see some of them still with the squad this season as well. It was fantastic being around an IPL set-up such as the Royals, and how they would approach and work towards things. I felt it was an insightful experience and something that I’ve carried with myself ever since", he added.

Having been bought by Rajasthan Royals this term for INR 8.5 Cr, Hetmyer played down any significance of the price tag, adding that it is important he plays any role that comes to him. “There’s no pressure of the price tag on me, it’s a challenge to help the Royals when I’m out there. The price tag does not really matter to me, it’s the runs I score that help contribute to the team’s cause that matter.”

Also speaking on his potential role in the team, he added, “I’m ready for any role the team needs me to perform. It’s imperative to do well as a player in the squad. And at my end, as I’ve always believed, is to just give myself that chance to be out there and the performance will come, no matter what the situation of the game is.”

With the Royals assembling a new squad and building towards a new era, under the leadership and guidance of Kumar Sangakkara, the Guyanese left-hander spoke, “It’s very exciting to play under someone like Kumar Sangakkara. A legend of the game, I’ve heard some amazing things about him and can’t wait to get his brains on certain aspects of my game, that can help become better not just in the white-ball format but also in the longer version of the game with the red ball. Yes, I am very excited about the team that we have this year. I believe there is big potential in the squad to bring the cup home this year.”