In an eagerly anticipated IPL 2024 encounter, the Rajasthan Royals (RR), who have kicked off their season with an impeccable winning streak, are set to face the Gujarat Titans (GT), a team currently grappling with inconsistency. This Wednesday's showdown promises to be a litmus test for both squads, each at different spectrums of their campaign's momentum.
The Royals couldn't have dreamt of a more auspicious start, clinching victory in their initial four matches. However, Yashasvi Jaiswal, despite his commendable performance for the national squad recently, has found runs hard to come by in the tournament, amassing a mere 39 runs across four outings. A return to form for Jaiswal could provide a significant boost for RR, especially after Jos Buttler's return to form with a spectacular unbeaten century against Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Under the leadership of Sanju Samson, who himself has amassed 178 runs including two fifties, RR have shown formidable team spirit and skill.
Riyan Parag's ascendancy as a reliable batter has been one of the highlights for RR, with the all-rounder from Guwahati becoming the third-highest run-scorer in the tournament thus far. Contributions from Shimron Hetmyer and Dhruv Jurel will be crucial in bolstering the middle-order.
RR also possess a potent bowling lineup featuring pacers Trent Boult and Nandre Burger, alongside leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal, who has emerged as the tournament's second-highest wicket-taker with eight scalps. However, the form of Ravichandran Ashwin, who has only claimed one wicket in four matches, remains a concern.
GT, led by Shubman Gill, are facing a delicate phase in their campaign, having secured two wins against three losses from their five matches. The team is keen to avoid a third consecutive defeat but face a formidable challenge against the high-flying Royals. Despite the team's struggles, Gill has been in decent touch, scoring 183 runs at a strike rate nearing 147.
B Sai Sudharsan, who stepped in for Wriddhiman Saha as the opening partner, has shown promise but is yet to make a significant impact with a big score. The experience of Mohit Sharma and Umesh Yadav with the ball has been a silver lining for GT, although their performance against Punjab Kings highlighted areas for improvement.
GT's Afghan contingent, including Azmatullah Omarzai, Rashid Khan, and Noor Ahmad, is also under pressure to elevate their game and contribute to the team's resurgence.
Team News
Sandeep Sharma has missed 2 games for the Royals and could feature against Gujarat on Wednesday night.
For GT, Wriddhiman Saha missed out in the last game due to a neck spasm and he will most likely make a return to the XI. David Miller has now missed 2 games for GT and could be back in the reckoning for a place in the starting XI.
Head-to-Head record
The two teams have faced each other 5 times in the past, with Gujarat Titans dominating the contest, winning 4 in comparison to Royals' solitary win that came in the first half of IPL 2023.
Weather Report
It will be a hot day at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium but thankfully for those coming to the ground, the evening will be much better, with temperatures expected in the 27-30°C.
Probable XIs
RR Probable XI: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Jos Buttler, Sanju Samson(c/wk), Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel, Shimron Hetmyer, Ravichandran Ashwin, Trent Boult, Avesh Khan, Nandre Burger, Yuzvendra Chahal (Impact sub: Sandeep Sharma)
GT Probable XI: Shubman Gill(c), Wriddhiman Saha(wk), Sai Sudharsan, Vijay Shankar, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad, Umesh Yadav, Spencer Johnson, Darshan Nalkande, Mohit Sharma
Full squads
Rajasthan Royals squad: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Jos Buttler, Sanju Samson(w/c), Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel, Shimron Hetmyer, Ravichandran Ashwin, Trent Boult, Avesh Khan, Nandre Burger, Yuzvendra Chahal, Rovman Powell, Tanush Kotian, Kuldeep Sen, Shubham Dubey, Abid Mushtaq, Kunal Singh Rathore, Donovan Ferreira, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Keshav Maharaj, Navdeep Saini, Sandeep Sharma
Gujarat Titans squad: Wriddhiman Saha(w), Shubman Gill(c), Kane Williamson, Sai Sudharsan, Vijay Shankar, Rahul Tewatia, Azmatullah Omarzai, Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad, Umesh Yadav, Darshan Nalkande, Mohit Sharma, Sharath BR, Sandeep Warrier, Abhinav Manohar, Manav Suthar, Ravisrinivasan Sai Kishore, Matthew Wade, David Miller, Jayant Yadav, Shahrukh Khan, Joshua Little, Kartik Tyagi, Spencer Johnson, Sushant Mishra
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(With PTI inputs)
