The Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and the Gujarat Titans (GT) have both achieved commendable performances ever since they were introduced in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
Last year, Hardik Pandya and his team achieved an unprecedented title triumph, while KL Rahul’s team made it to the Eliminator before succumbing to the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). This season, both teams have started their campaign positively.
The Super Giants currently have four wins from six matches and are placed second in the points table, while the Titans have three wins from five matches and are just inside the playoff spots. The Super Giants have mainly relied on home wins to strengthen their position. This upcoming fixture between the two teams will take place on Saturday, April 22, at the Ekana Stadium.
During IPL 2022, LSG and GT faced each other twice, and on both occasions, the defending champions emerged victorious. In the first encounter, they defeated Lucknow by five wickets at the beginning of the competition. Later on, towards the end of the league phase, they secured a comprehensive 62-run victory against Lucknow.
This year, LSG have had to make some changes in their bowling department. Mark Wood’s availability has been uncertain throughout the tournament, and he is currently reported to be dealing with an illness. In the previous game, Naveen-ul-Haq filled in for Wood quite seamlessly. However, bowling at the Ekana Stadium might pose a different challenge altogether.
LSG’s spin attack, led by Ravi Bishnoi, is quite potent, and Amit Mishra adds valuable support with his leg-spin. Krunal Pandya and Krishnappa Gowtham also strengthen the spin department, but unfortunately, the team’s skipper, KL Rahul, hasn’t utilized these resources effectively, as was evident in their recent loss to the Punjab Kings (PBKS).
The Lucknow Super Giants also have issues in their batting department. The opening pair of KL Rahul and Kyle Mayers have failed to perform in unison, and some might argue that KL Rahul hasn’t performed at all this season. Deepak Hooda, who usually bats at No.3, has been struggling to score runs, putting a lot of pressure on the likes of Nicholas Pooran to rescue the team from difficult situations.
On the other hand, GT has been slightly inconsistent this season. They faced a humiliating collapse against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), where Rinku Singh smashed five sixes in the final over. Although they managed to recover with a win over PBKS, their struggles while defending totals were exposed in their previous game against RR.
Moreover, GT has not relied heavily on their spinners in IPL 2023. Although Rashid Khan has been excellent as expected, Rahul Tewatia hasn’t bowled a single ball this season, and R Sai Kishore has not played a single game. Noor Ahmad was used as an impact player against the Royals, but the move did not pay off.
In Shubman Gill and B Sai Sudharsan, Gujarat has two excellent players of spin. If the duo manages to bat through the innings, they have a great chance of taking two points away from Lucknow. However, other players like Vijay Shankar and Hardik Pandya have not appeared to be comfortable against spin.
GT’s biggest strength is chasing, but that might not work in their favor in this match. LSG has a good track record of defending totals, and the Ekana Stadium’s conditions are likely to favor the Super Giants.
Even though the Titans appear to be a more settled team, the Super Giants have the potential to pull off an upset in this contest.
