IPL 2022 RR vs GT Preview - A chance for both sides to go clear at the top

Key match stats RR vs GT

Pitch Stats – DY Patil Stadium

Average first innings score: 155
Average first innings winning score: 173
Average powerplay score: 43
All-time win % batting 1st vs batting 2nd: 40% / 60%

Team form RR vs GT
RR – WWLW
GT – WWWL
Recent meetings: n/a

RR vs GT Preview

Today's match between Rajasthan and Gujarat sees 2 of the league's early pace setters go head to head with the chance to move clear at the top of the league.

It's still a long way to go but 4 out of 5 wins is the equivalent of having 1 foot in the playoffs and would represent a major achievement for both teams.

Rajasthan haven't reached the later stages since 2018 and so their form to date in IPL 2022 marks a great turnaround based off a very successful auction.

The signings of experienced bowlers in the form of Chahal, Boult and Ashwin has supported Rajasthan's relatively inexperienced captain in Sanju Samson while Shimron Hetmyer, after a few seasons of promising much, is finally delivering more than just a haircut and colourful shoes.

Of course much of the focus after the Royals latest win was on the decision of Ravi Ashwin to retire himself out and allow the more powerful Pirag to come in and score a few runs late on. Without going into great detail, I don't have a problem with that and of course it's well within the laws of the game.

More importantly, it shows that this Rajasthan Royals side has gone back to thinking outside the box as a means of competing with some of the big boys in the IPL. Beyond the Ashwin incident, we've already seen some funky field placements (they've had a short-leg in at times this season) and bowling changes as they look to catch opposition teams off guard.

In fact, the inaugural winners of the tournament have often been a side that does things slightly differentially and it's perhaps a fitting tribute to the late Shane Warne, a man who was always innovating when he stepped onto the cricket pitch and was of course involved with the franchise from its inception, that they've now returned to a style and approach to the game that he'd surely have enjoyed. Let's see what've they've got in store for us today...

As for Gujarat, they lost their unbeaten record in a disappointing performance against Sunrisers where nothing really clicked for them. The top order failed to deliver runs and the powerful middle order which has already delivered a couple of wins for them this season couldn't get going. With ball in hand, the usually accurate Lockie Ferguson had an off night and despite a little wobble from Sunrisers when captain Kane Williamson was out, Gujarat weren't able to press home an advantage.

Captain Hardik Pandya didn't hide his frustration at some of the sloppy bowling and fielding from his side and the acid test now will be to see how he and his team react to that defeat.

RR vs GT head to head

GT bowling vs RR batting

The Royals early success has been built off solid starts by their top order with current Orange Cap wearer Jos Buttler returning to the venue where he scored a brilliant hundred against Mumbai earlier in the year.

Pandya vs Buttler T20 head to head

What Buttler has done so well in this IPL is target the right bowler at the right time and in this game you'd imagine that he will be looking at Hardik Pandya as the man he'll look to take a big over from in the powerplay.

By contrast, Buttler's record against Rashid Khan is terrible and GT may be tempted to bring their Afghan wrist-spinner into the equation earlier than they would otherwise if they can't dismiss Buttler with the brand new ball.

Rashid Khan vs Buttler T20 head to head

In fact, Sunrisers deployed this very tactic just last season when Rashid bowled the 3rd and 5th overs of their match against Rajasthan (only the 2nd time that Rashid had bowled more than an over in the powerplay in the IPL). He did manage to get fellow opener Jaiswal out in that spell but Buttler survived and went onto smash 124 from 64 balls, a brilliant example of why match-ups are nothing more than a guide!

Equally, Shimron Hetmyer has also been dismissed 4 times by Rashid (ave 14.3) while Sanju Samson strikes at 95.7 from the 71 balls he's faced from GT's star spinner. How Pandya utilises Rashid's 4 overs looks to be key for GT while for the Royal's it might be a case of surviving them and targeting others.

Shimron Hetmyer death over stats for IPL 2022

Come the death overs, this match sees the most destructive team in the final 5 (RR) come up against the best defensive bowling unit (GT). Something will have to give but if GT can contain Hetmyer who has been brilliant at the back end of the innings then that will go a long way to limiting the Royals.

RR bowling vs GT batting

Matthew Wade's spot at the top of the order is certainly under pressure with his 56 runs at under a run a ball not getting the Titans off to the flying starts they'd have hoped. His match-up against Kiwi Trent Boult could be key in this game with the left-armer enjoying previous meetings between the 2.

Boult vs Wade T20 head to head

Boult and Prasidh Krishna have formed a very effective new ball partnership for Rajasthan but beyond them the Royals may also be tempted to give Ashwin a bowl early on.

Not only has finger spin in the powerplay proved effective at the DY Patil Stadium (18 overs, 5 wickets, economy 6.4) but with potentially 2 left-handers in the GT top-order then you'd imagine Ashwin will be keen to get the ball in his hands even if he might later be happy to give up the bat!

In fact, spin against this GT middle order could cause problems too particularly as the likes of Hardik Pandya and David Miller both have weak records against one of the inform bowlers of the IPL in Chahal.

Chahal vs Pandya and Miller combined T20 head to head

If this all sounds like doom and gloom for the Titans batting line-up then there is still a very visible silver lining for them to target in regards the 3rd seamer as well as Rajasthan's options at the death.

The fact that Rajasthan have chopped and changed between Coulter-Nile, Saini and Sen suggests that they themselves aren't convinced by any of their options while Prasidh Krishna is going at 12 an over at the death meaning that if GT can lay a platform
then those big hitters at the end may well be in a position to lead them to victory once again!

Combined bowling figures in IPL 2022 for Rajasthan's 5th/6th bowler (not Boult, Prasidh, Ashwin or Chahal)

All stats used in this blog are from my own database. Images are my own with the exception of player profiles and background images which are used under a creative commons license or otherwise royalty free