This Rajasthan Royals squad is reminiscent of one at the inaugural edition of the Indian Premier League.
In 2008, the great Shane Warne was the only superstar around whom rallied youngsters like Yusuf Pathan, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Kaif and Swapnil Asnodkar.
No one would have given them a chance yet they went on to lift the trophy that year.
This year, the squad reads on similar lines, just the two stars in captain Sanju Samson and Yashasvi Jaiswal, while the core of the team hardly exudes confidence.
Other than Samson and Jaiswal, Rajasthan retained Dhruv Jurel, Riyan Parag, Shimon Hetmyer and pacer Sandeep Singh.
But one can argue that letting go of Jos Buttler, Yuzi Chahal -- among the franchise's top wicket-takers -- Ravichandran Ashwin and Trent Boult has taken the sheen off the team.
The Royals batting looks decent but there is the issue of consistency and lack of depth that could be telling as the tournament wears on. A dearth of foreign names in the line-up could give them a few reality checks.
The onus will once again rest on Samson to lift the team with a roaring start. Samson had a phenomenal time in the IPL last seaon.
Samson scored 531 runs at a strike rate of 48.27 capping his most successful season.
He has in the recent past shown good form with the bat especially in India colours and will want to carry that mental frameworrk into the IPL.
But the worry for Rajasthan will be Sanson's partner at the top, Yashasvi Jaiswal.
Last season, Jaiswal found it hard to get going, scoring with 435 runs (SR: 155.91), having hit just one half-ton and one century.
Rajasthan didn't make big purchases at the auctions and got Nitish Rana on board. The former KKR player could likely come in at number 3.
Once a free scorer at the top of the innings, Rana played just 2 matches for KKR last season, scoring 33 runs.
In 2024, Riyan Parag found his mojo batting at No 4 -- hit 573 runs at a strike rate of 52.09.
He was the team's top-scorer and given the confidence he gets batting at that position, he'll be better off coming in at No. 4 this season too.
Jurel will do well to knock a few around and get in a couple of sixes but to give impetus to the innings will be the job of Shimron Hetmyer.
If it's his day, Hetmyer can turn on the screws and provide finishing touches with a flourish of big hits but inconsistency is his second name. A penchant for rash shots have not done him any favours.
Rajasthan's bowling paints a healthier picture -- Afghan bowler Fazalhaq Farooqui and Englishman Jofra Archer the two foreign purchases.
They also brought in pacer Tushar Deshpande, who has a knack of getting wickets up front and choking runs at the death.
Not to forget the old workhorse of the Indian Premier League, Sandeep Sharma can send a few stumps cartwheeling while bowling those toe crushing yorkers.
With spinners Wanindu Hasaranga and Maheesh Theekshhana, the Rajasthan think-tank would like to believe they have the middle overs in control.
The squad certainly doesn't scream 'play-offs' but off-field superstars Rahul Dravid and Kumar Sangakkara will have to rally the troops with gusto.
And whether Rajasthan will unveil the 13-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi in this edition, we'll only know with time.
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