IPL 2024 GT vs SRH Preview - Sunrisers now come with an added fear factor

Key match stats

Pitch Stats – Narendra Modi Stadium IPL records

Pitch stats from the 10 most recent IPL matches played at the Narendra Modi Stadium

Team form GT vs SRH
GT: WL
SRH: LW

Recent meetings: IPL 2023 - GT won by 23 runs

Weather

General Forecast: Dry and clear
Chance of dew: Very Low

Preview GT vs SRH

Gujarat Titans suffered what can best be described as a humbling defeat in their last match against CSK. It was always likely that this season was going to be tougher than their first 2, especially with the loss of Hardik and injury to Shami and the Titans really need a few of their big names to step up today.

On what looked like a decent wicket in Chennai, GT's batsmen just never got going as the visitors lost regular wickets and ended up hitting just 3 maximums, the lowest number by a side to date in IPL 2024.

Of course SRH have had no such issues so far this season and especially not in their most recent match which saw records tumbling all over the place. If there is a side that you don't want to try to get into a slogging match with at the moment then it would be the Sunrisers but especially if like GT your batsmen all look out of form.

SRH's average score in the powerplay so far this year is 73, their average runs from the last 5 overs of an innings is 74 and that number actually dropped after the game against MI! Ok, it's still very early in the season and those figures come from a very small sample size but SRH's power hitters have been unleashed and are enjoying some excellent form, while the same can't be said for their opponents today.

With ball in hand, you'd have to say that both sides have struggled to put in a really convincing performance. SRH were pretty good for the first 75% of their effort against KKR but both these sides might look at their wins against MI and consider that it was as much a case of Mumbai's odd tactics as it was their bowling brilliance that ultimately won them the game.

As for the pitch conditions here at the Narendra Modi Stadium, the figures in the graphs above are correct. The slightly strange anomaly of having an average first innings winning score that is lower than the average score comes largely due to the DLS result in last year's final.

What we do know is that since this stadium began hosting regular IPL games again in 2021, no side has defended a total less than 180 where the game wasn't interrupted by weather. Of course, with SRH's batsmen in full flow, they might fancy getting more than that if they bat first, while the pressure to get an above par score for GT if they get first crack could have a significant impact on their approach.

To put that pressure into context, Heinrich Klassen alone has scored 99 runs in the last 5 overs of matches so far this season while GT collectively have managed just 70 in the same period.

GT vs SRH head to head

SRH bowling vs GT batting

As the stats above show, the Narendra Modi has increasingly become a venue where spin has had less of an impact on games. There are some pitches around the IPL where that kind of stat can be explained by the home side not having quality frontline spinners but that certainly isn't the case here where GT have had Rashid Khan who was regularly joined last season by Noor Ahmed. That won't concern SRH too much though as they've primarily relied on their pace bowlers ever since Rashid left them in 2021!

Bhuvi T20 record at the Narendra Modi Stadium

A few of their quicks also have excellent records here with Pat Cummins having taken 5 wickets in the 2 previous matches he's played while Bhuvi has found early movement in most of his previous matches in Ahmedabad which could spell trouble for a GT top order that doesn't look in great form. Bhuvi has dismissed Shubman Gill on 3 previous occasions in IPL cricket and you feel that could be a significant head to head in this match.

Shubman Gill T20 head to head vs Bhuvi

Shubman Gill could certainly do with a score in this match for his own form and confidence as much as that of his team. His record against Bhuvi may not be great so he'd be better off staying at the other end during the powerplay where SRH will almost certainly bowl at least 1 of their 4 left-arm options. Shubman Gill has a T20 career average of 97 vs left-arm seam! He needs 18 more runs without dismissal to take that past the 100 mark.

Within the context of the carnage that was unfolding in Hyderabad earlier in the week, Pat Cummins was the stand out bowler by simply sticking to his tried and trusted plan of bowling back of a length and asking the batsmen to try and hit him off it which for the most part they struggled to do.

Miller T20 head to head vs Cummins

He'll hope to something similar against the GT middle order and has had success in the past against the likes of David Miller.

GT bowling vs SRH batting

You know that the GT bowling attack is under pressure when they have to turn to Rashid Khan in the powerplay. That's exactly what happened against CSK where Rachin Ravindra smashed the Titan's quicks around the park and you can bet that Travis Head will look to do something similar today. He scored 59 runs during the powerplay against MI at an incredible strike rate of 295!

Agarwal T20 record at the Narendra Modi Stadium

Alongisde him, SRH will be hoping that Mayank Agarwal can rediscover some consistency and reach the 400 run mark as he did in IPL 2020 and 2021. He has certainly enjoyed batting at this venue in the past.

The immediate thoughts of any side playing SRH at the moment will turn to how can they get rid of Heinrich Klaasen before he does too much damage. The match-up against Rashid Khan is likely to be key although the pair have only faced each other twice before in T20 cricket including in the equivalent match here last season. On that occassion, Klaasen was left playing a rearguard to save Sunrisers from total humiliation so we look forward to seeing Rashid vs Klaasen in full flow.

Abhishek Sharma T20 head to head vs Rashid Khan

One man who has demonstrated that he can attack Rashid Khan is Abhishek Sharma. He's played a couple of good knocks in IPL 2024 suggesting that he can carry his good form over from the Syed Musthaq Ali trophy. Last season, SRH struggled without a recognised left-hander who could negate the threat of wrist-spin and slow-left arm bowlers in those middle overs. Abhishek looks primed to be that man for Sunrisers this year.

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All stats used in this blog are from my own databases which are freely accessible below
IPL player head to head records
IPL player records by stadium
IPL stadium records.
Images are my own with the exception of player profiles and highlights within GIFs which are not intended to infringe copyright- read full disclaimer. Background images are used under a creative commons license or otherwise royalty free.