IPL 2023: Rajasthan Royals welcome table-toppers Gujarat Titans
Rajasthan Royals (RR) are set to host table-toppers Gujarat Titans (GT) in match number 48 of the 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL) season. The Titans consolidated their top spot despite losing their last encounter to Delhi Capitals. On the other hand, fourth-placed RR lost to Mumbai Indians even though they posted in excess of 210 runs. Here is the match preview.
Pitch report, timing, and streaming details
The Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur will host the encounter. The pitch will assist spinners and batters would need to spend some time in the middle while assessing the conditions. As per Howstat, the average score batting first here is 157.06. The sides batting second usually prevail here. Star Sports will telecast the match, fans can also live-stream it on JioCinema from 7:30pm onward.
A look at the head-to-head record
GT and RR crossed swords thrice last season, and each time, the Titans prevailed over their opponents. The two teams also met in the finals when RR could only manage 130/9 batting first. In response, GT chased it down in 18.1 overs. RR avenged the loss by defeating GT earlier this season. Shimron Hetmyer's 26-ball 56* helped RR chase 178.
Decoding the Probable XIs
RR (Probable XI): Yashasvi Jaiswal, Jos Buttler, Sanju Samson (captain and wicket-keeper), Devdutt Padikkal, Dhruv Jurel, Shimron Hetmyer, Ravichandran Ashwin, Jason Holder, Trent Boult, Sandeep Sharma, and Yuzvendra Chahal. GT (Probable XI): Wriddhiman Saha (wicket-keeper), Abhinav Manohar, Hardik Pandya (captain), Vijay Shankar, David Miller, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad, Mohammed Shami, Mohit Sharma, and Joshua Little. Impact Subs: Shubman Gill and Khaleel Ahmed.
Who are the key performers?
With 339 runs at 37.66, Gill is the leading run-getter for GT in the ongoing season. He has been striking at 140.66. Besides, Jaiswal leads the runs tally for RR (428). He is also the second-highest run-scorer of the season overall. Shami, who has been exceptional this season, remains the only GT player with over 15 wickets (17), the joint-most with Tushar Deshpande.
Shami has been brilliant in Powerplay
Shami now has 12 Powerplay wickets in IPL 2023, the most by a bowler in this phase. He remains the only bowler with over 10 Powerplay wickets this season. Mohammed Siraj follows Shami with eight wickets.
A look at Dream11 options
Fantasy XI (Option 1): Jos Buttler, Sanju Samson, Yashasvi Jaiswal (captain), Shubman Gill (vice-captain), Shimron Hetmyer, David Miller, Hardik Pandya, Vijay Shankar, Mohammed Shami, Rashid Khan, Yuzvendra Chahal. Fantasy XI (Option 2): Jos Buttler, Sanju Samson, Wriddhiman Saha, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, David Miller, Hardik Pandya (captain), Vijay Shankar, Mohammed Shami, Rashid Khan (vice-captain), Adam Zampa.
