Rematch of the IPL 2022 championship
Following victories that should have been more decisive than they were, Gujarat Giants and Rajasthan Royals square off for the first time this season. Sandeep Sharma maintained his composure to defeat MS Dhoni and the Chennai Super Kings, while Rahul Tewatia’s scoop off Sam Curran gave the tense Titans points against the Punjab Kings. On Sunday, they’d both like to be more brutal.
Setting high totals and defending them has been the key to all of the Royals’ success. They won their third game with the bat in four, becoming the only side to successfully defend a score under 190 against the Super Kings. With a strong batting lineup and a calculated approach, the Titans have lost just one chase in 12 games since the IPL 2022 season began.
Rashid Khan may have a significant impact. Sanju Samson (strike rate of 98), Shimron Hetmyer (four dismissals), Jos Buttler (strike rate of 69 and four dismissals in 11 innings), and others struggle against him. Rashid is not the only source of income for the Titans, though. No team has taken more powerplay wickets (35) since the IPL’s inception than Titans, who have also struggled to contain Mohammed Shami and Alzarri Joseph this season. Additionally, David Miller, Shubman Gill, Sai Sudharsan, Vijay Shankar, and others have displayed form.
The Royals want their first players to get things going. Buttler and Yashasvi Jaiswal have scored more runs in partnership more quickly this season (194 runs at a strike rate of 202) and have both hit 19 powerplay boundaries. Additionally, they perform remarkably well against spinners, averaging 72 runs per wicket, the best (by a wide margin) among the other 10 teams. Their skill at bowling has also been outstanding. R Ashwin and Trent Boult are two of the season’s cleanest bowlers in terms of economy, and Yuzvendra Chahal (10 wickets) is an early front-runner for the purple cap.
The IPL 2022 final rematch looks to be a high-caliber contest between two hot teams. The ideal way to wrap up week two of the 2023 IPL.
Form guide, with most recent game at the top
WLWW, Titans Kings: WWLW
Team news: Trent Boult is the focus.
Due to a “small niggle” from their previous game, Boult was given a break. If he comes back, fellow pacer Kuldeep Sen would be benched (and possibly Adam Zampa will be given a spot on the international roster).
No injuries are a problem for the Titans.
Impact Player and Toss strategy
Dhruv Jurel and Yuzvendra Chahal are most likely to be the Impact Player switches for the Royals based on who bats and bowlers. Vijay Shankar and Josh Little both have comparable uses for the Titans.
Gandhi Titans
Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Shubman Gill, Sai Sudharsan, Hardik Pandya, Vijay Shankar, David Miller, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Mohammed Shami, Mohit Sharma, and Alzarri Joseph make up the bat-first XI that could be used.
Wriddhiman Saha is the likely starting wicketkeeper, followed by Shubman Gill, Hardik Pandya, Vijay Shankar, David Miller, Rahul Tewatia, Mohammed Shami, Josh Little, Rashid Khan, Mohit Sharma, and Alzarri Joseph in the bowling first XI.
Royals of Rajasthan
Yashasvi Jaiswal, Jos Buttler, Devdutt Padikkal/Riyan Parag, Sanju Samson (captain, wicketkeeper), Shimron Hetmyer, Dhruv Jurel, Jason Holder, R Ashwin, Sandeep Sharma, Trent Boult/Adam Zampa, and Kuldeep Sen make up the bat-first XI (possible).
Jos Buttler, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sanju Samson (captain, wicketkeeper), Shimron Hetmyer, Jason Holder, Devdutt Padikkal/Riyan Parag, R Ashwin, Sandeep Sharma, Yuzvendra Chahal, Trent Boult/Adam Zampa, and Kuldeep Sen make up the bowling first XI (possible).
Pitch and circumstances
Only twice out of nine times since the IPL began 2021 has a team successfully defended in Ahmedabad. During this time, first innings had an average victory score of 175 points.
Sunday night will be sweltering, with a high of about 35 degrees C.
Important statistics
Neither Shubman Gill nor Boult or Chahal are proficient. Against pacers, he has a strike rate of 98, and against spinners, it is 104.
In his one dismissal against Mohammed Shami, Sanju Samson scored 54 runs in 28 balls.
In T20 matches, Shimron Hetmyer has faced Shami five times. Shami has fired him four times in that period.
In each of his three innings this season, Hardik Pandya has been held without a hit or run.
David Miller has recently been regarded as one of the top IPL chasers. In 11 innings of a chase since the beginning of the IPL in 2022, he has only been dismissed twice. He bats second over that time frame and averages 184 with a 151 strikeout rate.
