🏏 IPL 2025 ~ 23rd Match GT vs RR @7.30 PM 🏏 - Page 2

GT got Sherfane Rutherford at his base price at the IPL auction in November, which is perhaps indicative of his numbers until that point: 106 runs in nine innings at an average of 15 and a strike rate of 102. In six of those innings, though, he was batting at No. 6 or lower. GT have been using him up the order and that faith is already being repaid. Rutherford has got 129 runs in four innings this year with an average of 64.5 and a strike rate of 176.71.

Jofra Archer, at his best, is a sight to behold and the very first over of the last game that he played suggested that he has found his rhythm. His speed was approaching 150kph. He was getting movement off the seam. He was clattering the stumps. Injuries have tried to derail his career, but it appears they have been unsuccessful. On Tuesday, RR will depend on him to rip out one of GT's biggest strengths. Archer vs Gill in T20s is nine runs, 13 balls, two dismissals.

Pitch and conditions

Ahmedabad offers a choice of surfaces - black soil, which makes the pitch slower and lower, and red soil, which offers pace and bounce. All that considered, though, batters have scored runs at a rate of 9.76 per over, which puts this ground behind only Hyderabad (10.16) in terms of high-scoring venues this IPL.

Stats and trivia

• Buttler has a favourable head-to-head record against Archer in T20s: 89 runs in 47 balls for two dismissals.
• Mohammed Siraj has found his rhythm again. He had only five wickets in the powerplay last season. He's already gone past that mark now, having played ten fewer matches. His pace is up - 50% his balls in the first six overs are 140-plus kph. All that sets him up even better for his contest with Samson, which, in the IPL, reads 36 runs in 31 balls and three dismissals.
• A battle with RR might be coming at the perfect time for Rashid. He looked in decent nick against SRH (4-0-31-0) and has the wood over Riyan Parag (24 runs, 28 balls, two dismissals) in the IPL and Shimron Hetmyer (79 runs, 63 balls, six dismissals) in all T20 cricket.
• GT's top order doing as well as they have has meant a set batter is always around to take advantage of the death overs. Their run rate of 13.31 is the second-best among all teams in this phase of play this season.
• RR's spinners have picked up 11 wickets this year, behind only Chennai Super Kings (CSK). Maheesh Theekshana has even coped with the burden of bowling in the death, picking up a wicket and giving just 18 runs in 18 balls. Wanindu Hasaranga has only been used in the middle overs and he's been effective enough that only two other bowlers have more wickets than he does - R Sai Kishore (8) and Noor Ahmad (8).

Predicted Impact players for Gujarat Titans (GT)

• Anuj Rawat – The talented batter can be used as an impact substitute if Gujarat lose early wickets while batting first or if they are chasing a big target in the second innings.
• Ishant Sharma – The experienced pacer can be utilised as an impact player when bowling second, especially if the conditions favour pacers. He has picked up 93 wickets in 110 IPL matches.
• Sherfane Rutherford – He provides an option as a middle-order batter and was used as an impact substitute in the last game against PBKS. He might be brought in if GT needs extra batting depth after losing early wickets, or he can be introduced in the second innings by replacing a bowler.
• Glenn Phillips – He was also named in the impact player list in the previous match and can be used as an impact substitute in the second innings if the pitch is good for batting. He has a strike rate of 140 in T20s.

Predicted Impact Players for Rajasthan Royals (RR)

• Shubham Dubey – A left-handed batter who can be used as a slogger in the latter stages of the innings, especially if RR lose early wickets in the first innings.
• Tushar Deshpande – Having performed well for CSK in the previous edition, he could be subbed in during the second innings if conditions favour pacers. He picked up 17 wickets in 13 matches last season.
• Kwena Maphaka – A high-pace bowler who consistently clocks deliveries over 145 kph. He can be a handy substitute in the second innings if RR bat first.
• Kumar Kartikeya – He is a left-arm spinner who was brought in as an impact sub in the last game against CSK. He can be brought in again if conditions are favourable to the spinners.

Probable Best Batter: Sai Sudharsan

Flambouyant batter Sai Sudharsan has scored runs consistently in IPL 2025, except in the last game against Hyderabad. He is at No. 3 on the list of leading run-getters this season. In four innings, he has scored 191 runs at an average of 47.75 and a strike rate of 150.39. He will look to get back among the runs on Wednesday.

Probable Best Bowler: Mohammed Siraj

Pacer Mohammed Siraj conceded 54 runs from four overs in his first match in GT colours and went wicketless. However, he came back strongly in the following game against Mumbai Indians, dismissing openers Rohit Sharma and Ryan Rickelton. The right-arm seamer has not looked back since. He bagged three wickets against Bengaluru and four against Hyderabad, winning Player of the Match awards in both games. Shubman would hope for some early wickets from his talismanic seamer with the new ball.

Match Prediction: Gujarat Titans to win the match

Scenario 1

• Gujarat Titans win the toss and bowl
• PP Score - 60-70
• RR- 200-210
• Gujarat Titans win the match

Scenario 2

• Rajasthan Royals win the toss and bowl
• PP score - 55-65
• GT- 200-210
• Gujarat Titans win the match

Thank you Parm for the thread and for tagging me.

Best wishes to both the teams.