Published 13:53 IST, August 28th 2020
IPL 2020: Kings XI Punjab, Rajasthan Royals players train under floodlights
The players from the Kings XI Punjab and Rajasthan Royals franchise begin their training for the IPL 2020 season, which is scheduled to launch on September 19.
- SportFit
- 3 min read
The Indian Premier League 2020 (IPL 2020) season is on course to commence from September 19 onwards in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). With just above three weeks left for the tournament, several franchises have already started preparing themselves through training sessions at nearby venues. Quite recently, players from the Kings XI Punjab and Rajasthan Royals' line-ups were seen training in Dubai, as evidenced by their latest updates on social media.
IPL 2020 training begins for Kings XI Punjab and Rajasthan Royals
The squads of both Kings XI Punjab and Rajasthan Royals arrived in Dubai on August 20. From thereon, the players from the two franchises had to undergo a seven-day quarantine period in order to adhere to the biosecurity measures of the city and to follow the guidelines of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). After meeting their guidelines, the players and the coaching staff of both teams began their IPL 2020 training by grinding it out under floodlights at their nearby stadiums.
Kings XI Punjab and Rajasthan Royals begin training as IPL 2020 start date inches’ closer
Here is a look at both Kings XI Punjab and Rajasthan Royals as they begin their IPL 2020 training at nearby facilities for the upcoming season.
Kings XI Punjab and Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2020
The Kings XI Punjab franchise will enter into the upcoming season with a new captain. Their opening batsman, KL Rahul, was appointed as their IPL 2020 skipper earlier this year, replacing veteran off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin. The Kings XI Punjab’s squad includes several players who will be reprising their roles in IPL 2020, as cricketers like KL Rahul, Chris Gayle, Mohammad Shami, Nicholas Pooran among others were all retained by the franchise after IPL 2019. Additionally, the Punjab-based T20 side will also feature some newcomers into their line-up as they purchased cricketers like Jimmy Neesham, Sheldon Cottrell, Ravi Bishnoi during the IPL 2020 auction in December 2019.
On the other hand, the Rajasthan Royals side will be without the services of their captain Steve Smith in their first few IPL 2020 matches. Smith will be busy honouring his national commitments in September with a series in England. Indian pacer Jaydev Unadkat is likely to don the leadership hat during the absence of the Australian.
IPL 2020 start date announced by BCCI
Image credits: Kings XI Punjab Twitter
Updated 13:53 IST, August 28th 2020