🏏IPL2022 M72, Eliminator: LSG vs RCB🏏

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Some Write Up credit: Viswasruti

For us, cricket is more than just a game; it is a form of worship in the summer evening, the action will transfer effortlessly from the ground to our drawing rooms, a playful debate, a passionate disagreement, a bouncer here and a catch of words there, but there will always be an interesting silence to watch the high octave moments on the field!

KL Rahul will be key as Lucknow Super Giants take on Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Eliminator.

LSG have been over-reliant on their top three, but have found a way out of most holes because of their exceptional bowling line-up

By building a team of allrounders, Lucknow Super Giants have been able to find a way out of a lot of tough spots, but the one thing they haven't been able to shake is an extreme reliance on their top order. KL Rahul (537 runs at 48.8), Quinton de Kock (502 runs at 38.6), and Deepak Hooda (406 runs at 31.2) have carried a line-up where the others have collectively contributed only 789 runs at 17.2.

A weakness that glaring would have pulled a lot of teams out of playoff contention, but Super Giants are here because their bowling has been exceptional. They took 96 wickets in the league stage at an average of 23.8 and strike rate of 17.1. They're No. 1 in each of those metrics.

Krunal Pandya missed Super Giants' last league game with a niggle. He's had almost a week's worth of recovery time. If it isn't a serious injury, he should be back in the playing XI.

Harshal Patel split the webbing on his bowling hand and his stitches came off on Tuesday. He should be fit for the game, he said on the team's YouTube channel. In case he doesn't make it, Akash Deep could take his place.

Praying for rcb to reach final😭

whooting for RCB

RCB use the playoff .... get to finals

LSG VS RCB: Top 3 Players from the LSG side for The Eliminator Match

1. Captain KL Rahul

The skipper KL Rahul will be the primary asset in the eliminator from the LSG side. In the IPL 2022 again KL Rahul has touched the 500-plus runs. He is even in the race of orange cap lagging behind Joss Butler. His average for this season is 49 and with the striking rat of 135. It will be interesting to watch out for his performance in the Eden Garden.

Being the opener and captain he has to give a good start for his team. A good from the opening start will give his team good momentum. And T20 games are all about momentum shifts. So KL Rahul will the prime member from LSG whom RCB will be trying to get his wicket.

2. All-Rounder Marcus Stoinis

The retention choice of LSG, Marcus Stoinis has joined his after missing a few matches due to his national duties. For this Stoinis did not put any such impact from his side in the IPL 2022. But after he arrived on the team, LSG has given him the finisher job. But he has a match-winner and having such a player in the line-up in a crucial match will be important.

Although the middle order of LSG has a hot and cold season year. For that having Marcus Stoinis will be empowering the middle-order. As he can take responsibility if any difficult situation takes place. His recent performance against KKR has given enough evidence about what he can do. His contribution to the eliminator match will be a crucial one.

3. Spinning Wizard Ravi Bishnoi

The third retention of the LSG side, Ravi Bishnoi has a cold season in the ongoing IPL 2022. After debuting in the year 2020 his economy rate is 8.22 in this season which is the highest since he debuted. In the IPL 2022, Ravi Bishnoi has scalped only 12 wickets so far.

Some RCB players have issues against the spinner. Having such a skillful young spinner on the team, Ravi Bishnoi can put RCB players in trouble. On a ground like Eden garden, Ravi Bishnoi can play a big part if LSG gets the victory in the match.

LSG VS RCB: Top 3 Players from the RCB side for The Eliminator Match

1. Wanindu Hasaranga

The removing experiences spinner Yuzi Chahal from team RCB has faced backlash from their fans. But they had a difference with themselves as they put a big bid for Sri Lankan emerging star Wanindu Hasaranga. Hasaranga is in a full potential mode in the IPL 2022 season where he is the second-highest wicket-taker this season.

In IPL 2022, Hasaranga has taken 24 wickets in the 14 group stage matches. He also has the best economy rate in the highest wicket-taking list. Having such an informed player on the team will be an advantage for the team. And RCB will be depending on his spinning delivery on a ground like Eden Garden. LSG’s middle-order batting is already having a cold season. So if Hasaranga picks some wickets from there then it could result in a collapse on the LSG side.

2. Glenn Maxwell

After absenting the first few matches Glenn Maxell joined the RCB side late. But after joining the side he starts doing well for his team. For many seasons Maxwell was full of concern players for his team. But RCB did not make any such mistake as his previous franchises. They use Maxwell most effectively by letting him bat at middle-order.

Virat and Faf in the top-order and Dinesh Karthik at the finishing end have backed his batting very well. His hitting abilities and handy bowling will be very important for RCB ahead of the big match. He is an established T20 player who knows how to take pressure in difficult and this is a very important thing to have in a big match.

3. Faf Du Plessis

After spending a decade in a successful franchise like CSK, RCB roped Faf in the IPL mega auction and handed over him the captaincy responsibility. He made a havoc start in the first game but after that, his performance declined only.

But he was part of CSK which team has made the highest playoffs qualifications in IPL history. For that, the veteran player knows how to control things in a big match. Being the opening batter he has the pressure to give a good start for his team. His opening partner Virat Kohli doesn’t have a good season this year so he has to compliment him also.

Probable Playing XIs for LSG vs RCB

Lucknow Super Giants

Quinton de Kock (wk), KL Rahul (c), Evin Lewis, Deepak Hooda, Ayush Badoni/Manan Vohra, Marcus Stoinis, Jason Holder, Krishnappa Gowtham/Krunal Pandya, Mohsin Khan, Avesh Khan, Ravi Bishnoi

Royal Challengers Bangalore

Virat Kohli, Faf du Plessis (c), Rajat Patidar, Glenn Maxwell, Mahipal Lomror, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Shahbaz Ahmed, Wanindu Hasaranga, Harshal Patel, Siddarth Kaul/Mohammed Siraj, Josh Hazlewood

For the first time , i m supporting RCB.

KOHLI ne ye trophy kam se kam ek baar toh jitni chahiye yaar.

Pitch Report

Both teams will be looking to stack their side with a lot of spin options considering the Eden Gardens pitch traditionally but the possible cloud cover might help the fast bowlers as well. Both skippers will be looking to bat first after winning the toss as any score above 150 is going to be difficult to chase down in a high-pressure encounter.

Weather Forecast

Kolkata is going through a phase where it is seeing incessant rains in the evening after being largely hot throughout the day. On the matchday between LSG and RCB, the temperature in the evening is expected to be around 29 to 30 degrees.

What to expect: The tracks at Eden Gardens have tended to offer even bounce in the recent past. So the batters would likely get value for their shots.

This is basically the Kalbaisakhi season (localised rainfall/thunderstorms) in Bengal and a few other parts of North-East India. So that could mean a thunderstorm or two in the afternoon or evening. The humidity levels are expected to be on the higher side and dew could play a role.

Did you know?

- LSG have lost 23 wickets in the Powerplay in this tournament. Barring a game against SRH, where they ended up winning despite being three down in the first six overs, the wickets lost in that period have had a direct correlation with LSG's results.

- LSG have lost five games in the league phase - all the five defeats coming against fellow playoff contenders (two each vs GT & RR and one vs RCB).

Eden Gardens has hosted 16 IPL matches over the last four years and in each and every one of them the captain winning the toss has opted to bowl. Nine of those games have resulted in victories. The average first innings score here, since IPL 2018, is 183.

Super Giants are yet to win a single match against the teams that have qualified for the playoffs in this year. So perhaps they'll take heart that they are facing the bowling attack that has conceded the most sixes in IPL 2022 - RCB with 123 - on a ground that has the highest sixes per match ratio (17) since IPL 2018.

Following up on a breakthrough 2021 season, Avesh Khan has yet again picked up at least five wickets in every phase of a T20 game. He's the only player in IPL history to do it twice.

This has been the year of Dinesh Karthik. He has the best death-overs strike rate (226.37) in the IPL (min 50 balls faced). It's helped him find his way back into the Indian team. And now he has the trophy in his sights. Given all that you wouldn't put it past him to correct his playoffs record which currently reads: 246 runs in 15 innings at an average of 16.4 and strike rate of 107.

There has been a distinct difference in Rahul this season when he has batted first (425 runs at an average of 85 and strike rate of 149) and when he has batted second (112 runs at an average of 18.7 and strike rate of 101). His whole team has been having the same hang-up. Super Giants have lost four of the six games they've had to chase in this campaign.