IPL 2022 Lucknow Super Giants vs Gujarat Titans match: Players to watch out for today
The 15th edition of the IPL has started with a bang. In the first match itself, a completely rejuvenated Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) triumphed over defending champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) with six wickets in hand.
In the second match, Delhi Capitals defeated five-time champions Mumbai Indians (MI). In the third match, Punjab Kings (PK) defeated Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) chasing a mammoth target of 204.
But the fourth contest, today, is between two new teams; Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and Gujarat Titans (GT). KL Rahul, who was with Punjab Kings till now, is the captain of LSG while Hardk Pandya leads GT.
Both the teams on paper have the solid backing of powerpacked hitters, seamers and a mixture of all-rounders.
Here is a round-up of the players to watch out for in today’s IPL match between LSG and GT:
KL RAHUL VS HARDIK PANDYA
KL Rahul, the former Punjab Kings captain, was roped in by the LSG ahead of the auctions at a whopping price of Rs 17 crore. KL Rahul is one of the best batters in the Indian team. It was said he himself wanted to be relieved of his Punjab Kings duties. In 2021, KL Rahul scored 626 runs in 13 matches at an average of 62.60 and the strike rate at 136.38.
Hardik Pandya is another powerful all-rounder in the Indian team. He was with the Mumbai Indians up till 2021 and was picked up by GT at Rs 15 crore. However, his stint with MI last year didn’t end well as the batter could score only 127 runs in 12 matches with an average of 14.11. Apart from his explosive batting, he is also a good seamer; a reason why he is an asset to any team he plays for. It will be quite interesting to see him play as a skipper for the first time.
QUINTON DE KOCK VS SHUBMAN GILL
Quinton de Kock was purchased by LSG at Rs 6.75 crore. The South African wicket-keeper and batter is a hitter who can knock off a good innings. In 2021, he played for MI where he scored 108 runs in 77 matches at an average of 31.33 and strike rate at 130.93.
Shubman Gill on the other hand is a promising batter who played stupendous cricket for KKR. In 2022, ahead of the auctions, GT got him at Rs 8 crore. A fine batsman who times the ball perfectly; Gill is a top player to watch out for this year. In 55 matches in the IPL, Gill has scored 1,417 runs at an average of 31.49. He will be a player to watch out for in the 2022 season.
MARCUS STOINIS VS LOCKIE FERGUSON
The phenomenal Australian all-rounder Marcus Stoinis was bagged by LSG at Rs 9.2 crore. Stoinis has had a tremendous run at the Big Bash League too. In IPL 2020, he was taken by Delhi Capitals at Rs 4.8 crore and went on to play two seasons for the team. In these two seasons, Stoinis scored 445 runs and took 15 wickets. In IPL, his best score is 65 while his bowling best score is 4/15.
Lockie Ferguson, on the other hand, is a pacer who is at par with Stoinis with his seaming skills. Ferguson was purchased by GT at Rs 10 crore. Out of the four teams who were vying for the New Zealand pacer, it was GT who got him. The pacing seamer was with KKR since 2019. Last year, he played 8 matches, in which he got 13 wickets to his name. He will surely be player to watch out for this year.
RASHID KHAN VS KRISHNAPPA GOWTHAM
The Afghanistani leg-spinner needs no introduction. Rashid Khan comes from a league of gifted players, and will be an asset to any team he plays for. He was purchased by GT at a massive price of Rs 15 crore, the same amount they paid for Hardik Pandya. Last year, playing for Sunrisers Hyderabad, Rashid got 18 wickets in 14 matches.
Krishnappa Gowtham on the other hand was the biggest steal for mentor Gautam Gambhir. LSG got Gowtham for Rs 90 lakh, which was a great price because the Karnataka all-rounder went for Rs 9.25 crore to CSK in last year's IPL auctions. As an off-spinner, he can challenge Rashid Khan because he has had amazing performance in domestic league matches.
AVESH KHAN VS MOHAMMAD SHAMI
Avesh Khan has emerged a promising player since he started his journey with RCB in 2017. Surprisingly, he was taken by LSG at a roaring price of Rs 10 crore. Gautam Gambhir had special interest in the Madhya Pradesh seamer. Last year, playing for Delhi Capitals, Khan played 16 matches and got 24 wickets. This year, he will be donning the LSG uniform.
Mohammad Shami was purchased by GT at Rs 6.25 crore. One of the finest seamers in the Indian team today, Shami has produced magnificent spells. He was with Punjab Kings till last year. In 2021, he played 14 matches for them, where he picked up 19 wickets.
Overall, it will be a tight contest as both the teams have some solid players. While Andy Flower is the head coach of LSG, former Indian pacer Ashish Nehra will coach GT in IPL 2022. The match starts at 7.30 pm Monday, March 28, at the Wankhede stadium in Mumbai.