The Gujarat Titans (GT) will face the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in game 43 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai on Saturday. This will be the first match of the double-header. GT are on top of the points table, having won seven of their eight matches. Bangalore, in contrast, are hanging in the middle. They won five and lost four of their nine matches. Gujarat got the better of the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in their last match. Chasing 196, they got home off the last ball courtesy of a couple of terrific cameos. In contrast, Bangalore’s batting crumbled in the last two games and cost them. Here are five player battles to watch out for in GT vs RCB clash.
1. Wriddhiman Saha vs Mohammed Siraj: GT opener Wriddhiman Saha proved there is still some fight left in him. He struck a blazing half-century and set the platform for the team’s challenging chase against his former franchise SRH. With Shubman Gill struggling for runs, GT will be placing their hopes on Saha to continue his fine form. After a poor start, RCB pacer Mohammed Siraj has found his rhythm. When he gets it right, he can be extremely dangerous. Knowing that Saha can score quickly, Siraj would want to knock over the opener cheaply.
2. Faf du Plessis vs Mohammed Shami: RCB skipper Faf du Plessis has had a bizarre IPL 2022. He has played two terrific knocks, where he has looked at his best, but there has been nothing in between. Having been picked for a handsome price and named captain, Du Plessis would be the first person to admit that he has let the side down. He will be keen to lift his game. It won’t be easy against Mohammed Shami, who has been in superb form with the ball. In almost every game, the senior bowler has got deliveries to dart around and has claimed key scalps. He will want Du Plessis’ number for sure.
3. Hardik Pandya vs Josh Hazlewood: The GT skipper has been superb with the bat for his franchise. He fell cheaply against SRH after being unsettled by Umran Malik. However, that was a one-off. Hardik will go into the match against RCB with his confidence at an all-time high. The best GT batter could be up against the best RCB bowler on Saturday. Josh Hazlewood has been in a league of his own. He has bowled proper line and length and has frustrated batters into false shots. Hazlewood has also got a very slippery bouncer, which can unsettle the best. Can he get the better of Hardik is the big question?
4. Glenn Maxwell vs Rashid Khan: RCB dasher Glenn Maxwell has played a couple of typically aggressive innings. He has looked at his dangerous best in those games. But in other matches, he has looked completely out of form. The Big Show’s success in the match will depend on which Maxwell turns out with the bat. One thing is for sure, though, if he comes up against Rashid Khan, he will look to take him on. It will be a tough task as very few players have been able to attack the leggie. Who will come out on top in this battle?
5. David Miller vs Wanindu Hasaranga: David Miller has played only one innings of note in IPL 2022. But it was the ultimate destructive innings as he dismantled the Chennai bowling attack. With the middle-order, a bit inconsistent, GT will be hoping for the experienced left-hander to come up with the goods again. Miller can have an interesting tussle with Wanindu Hasaranga. The leggie has been in the amazing form right through IPL 2022, bamboozling one batter after the other. Miller has his shortcomings against spin. Can Hasaranga exploit the same?