IPL 2022, GT vs RR Qualifier 1 Preview: Rain threat looms as Gujarat and Rajasthan battle for berth in Final

Hardik (87 not-out off 52 balls) and David Miller (31 not-out off 14 balls) helped nullify Rajasthan’s lethal bowling line-up and fired GT to a hefty total of 192/4 despite being asked to bat.

Jos Buttler (54 off 24 balls) then provided RR with a quick start but Lockie Ferguson (3/23) and Yash Dayal (3/40) ripped through the battling line-up.

Hardik (1/18) then chipped in with some sharp fielding to get his counterpart Sanju Samson (11) Run Out before picking up the final wicket to seal the victory.

While that was a poor night out for Rajasthan, they have been very reliable in the group stages with different players putting in match-winning performances.

Buttler (629 runs) and Yuzvendra Chahal (26 wickets) are the tournament’s current leaders in the batting and bowling department while Ravichandran Ashwin has been in rich form.

Young Yashasvi Jaiswal has also stepped up off late to solve RR’s opening problems while Shimron Hetmyer has been scoring at a strike-rate of 163.18 to provide late bursts.

Captain Samson has amassed 374 runs this term but has been guilty of some poor decision making which means he has rarely made the most of his starts this season.

Rajasthan come into this tie after a low-scoring thriller against Chennai Super Kings. Obed McCoy (2/20) and Yuzvendra Chahal (2/26) helped restrict CSK to 150/6. Jaiswal (59) then provided a solid start while Ashwin (40 not-out off 23 balls) put on his finisher’s cap to help RR seal a top-two finish with a 5-wicket victory.

GT meanwhile come into this tie after a heavy 8-wicket defeat to Royal Challengers Bangalore. Hardik (62 not-out off 47 balls) scored his fourth half-century of the season to help GT post 168/5. However the bowler’s were put to the sword with only Rashid Khan (2/32) emerging with any credit as RCB cantered to an 8-wicket victory.

GT too have had different players raise their game on various occasions this season. Shubman Gill (403 runs) started the tournament brightly while Wriddhiman Saha (312 runs) has come into the side recently and has quickly notched up 4 half-centuries.

Rashid Khan (18 wickets) and Mohammed Shami (18 wickets) have also delivered wickets consistently and it should be an evenly matched contest at the Eden Gardens.

Gujarat Titans Team News: GT will be fretting over the fitness of Wriddhiman Saha who didn’t keep wickets against CSK due to a tight hamstring. However, Saha has been pivotal for the side in providing quick starts and GT will hope he’ll be back firing on all cylinders.

Rajasthan Royals Team News: Shimron Hetmyer had travelled to Guyana for the birth of his first child but returned to the squad in the last game. While Hetmyer could only manage 6 runs on his return, his inclusion definitely adds solidity to the RR middle-order.

GT vs RR Weather Update: Scattered thunderstorms are predicted around the Eden Gardens, Kolkata on Tuesday, May 24. If rains do disrupt the game then a winner can be decided via a super over. If even a Super Over cannot be played then the lack of a reserve days would mean GT go into the Finals due to their superior position on the Points Table with RR dropping into Qualifier 2.

GT vs RR Pitch Report: We can expect a fresh track at the Eden Gardens which means there’ll be some good pace and bounce on offer for the fast bowlers. The new-ball bowlers should find some swing early in the game while batting becomes easier as the ball gets older. The outfield is really quick too which means ground shots will get you good value.

Where to Watch LIVE: Match starts at 7.30 pm IST on Tuesday, May 24 with the Toss scheduled for 7.00 pm IST. The match will be telecast live on the Star Sports network. Viewers can also tune into the action via the Disney+ Hotstar.

Top Batting Picks: Jos Buttler has single-digit scores of 2,2, and 7 in his last three games but the league’s highest-scorer will be keen to bounce back and add to his impressive tally of 629 runs this term. Shubman Gill is another batter who is going through a lean patch but will be eager to perform at the home of his former franchise and add to his haul of 403 runs this season.

Top All-Rounder Picks: Hardik Pandya has been firing on all cylinders this season and is GT’s leading scorer with 413 runs while also contributing with 4 wickets this season. Ravichandran Ashwin is another player who has been contributing on both fronts off late and has 11 wickets and 183 runs to his name.

Top Bowling Picks: Yuzvendra Chahal is the league’s leading wicket-taker with 26 wickets to his name. Mohammed Shami and Rashid Khan both have 18 scalps each and can be backed to once again be among the wickets in this game.

Gujarat Titans (Probable XI): Wriddhiman Saha (WK), Shubman Gill, Matthew Wade/Alzarri Joseph, Hardik Pandya (C), David Miller, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Ravisrinivasan Sai Kishore, Lockie Ferguson, Yash Dayal and Mohammed Shami.

Rajasthan Royals (Probable XI): Yashasvi Jaiswal, Jos Buttler, Sanju Samson (C & WK), Devdutt Padikkal, Shimron Hetmyer, Riyan Parag, Ravichandran Ashwin, Trent Boult, Prasidh Krishna, Yuzvendra Chahal and Obed McCoy.

Gujarat Titans: Hardik Pandya (C), Abhinav Manohar, David Miller, Gurkeerat Singh, B Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill, Rahul Tewatia, Vijay Shankar, Matthew Wade, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Wriddhiman Saha, Alzarri Joseph, Darshan Nalkande, Lockie Ferguson, Mohammed Shami, Noor Ahmad, Pradeep Sangwan, Rashid Khan, Ravisrinivasan Sai Kishore, Varun Aaron and Yash Dayal.

Rajasthan Royals: Sanju Samson (C), Jos Buttler, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ravichandran Ashwin, Trent Boult, Shimron Hetmyer, Devdutt Padikkal, Prasidh Krishna, Yuzvendra Chahal, Riyan Parag, KC Cariappa, Navdeep Saini, Obed McCoy, Anunay Singh, Kuldeep Sen, Karun Nair, Dhruv Jurel, Tejas Baroka, Kuldip Yadav, Shubham Garhwal, James Neesham, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Rassie van der Dussen, Daryl Mitchell and Corbin Bosch.