LSG vs GT: KL Rahul's form in focus as Lucknow Super Giants look to continue winning momentum vs Gujarat Titans

Lucknow: Lucknow Super Giants skipper KL Rahul’s strike rate and form are becoming a concern but the team has been one of best performing sides so far in IPL 2023 and the team management will hope for another win when they take on defending champions Gujarat Titans at home on Saturday.

Rahul is scoring with a strike rate of 114.79 this season.

Meanwhile, Gujarat Titans would look to shrug off the defeat in the previous outing and get their mojo back.

While the Titans will look to start afresh after the three-wicket loss to the Rajasthan Royals, LSG got a confidence-boosting 10-run win against the Sanju Samson-led side to climb to the second spot in the points table.

Both teams have been a tad inconsistent this season, losing two games each although the Titans have played a match less than LSG.

The Titans, who are fourth in the league table, have struggled to defend totals this season.

Mohammed Shami has been a constant wicket-taker and has looked potent in the powerplay but more is expected of Alzarri Joseph and Josh Little.

Skipper Hardik Pandya also hasn’t been at his best with the ball, having picked only one wicket so far. Pacer Mohit Sharma, however, has done well in the two games he has played.

Eyeing that pic.twitter.com/ZogA40TiKt

— Lucknow Super Giants (@LucknowIPL) April 22, 2023

Rashid Khan has spearheaded the spin department, but against the Royals when he was taken to the cleaners by Samson, GT had no answer but to hand debut to 18-year-old Afghan wrist spinner Noor Ahmad, who did well under pressure, albeit in a losing cause.

The Gujarat batting department looks sorted with likes of Shubman Gill, David Miller, Sai Sudarshan striking the ball well.

But the reigning champions will have their task cut out against LSG, who boast of a formidable batting line up.

LSG have no dearth of power in their batting, with Kyle Mayers, Nicholas Pooran and Marcus Stoinis capable of pulverising any opposition. Mayers has been in sensational form at the top while Pooran and Stoinis doing the job in the middle order. But all-rounder Deepak Hooda is also yet to play an impactful innings he is capable of.

Talented leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi and veteran Amit Mishra are doing well for LSG in the spin department while Krunal Pandya has also put in a match-winning performance.

In Mark Wood, Avesh Khan and Yudhvir Singh Charak, LSG also possess a good pace department. Debutant Naveen-ul Haq sizzled in his maiden game against RR and will look to continue in the same vein.

The Titans, however, may have a slight psychological edge having defeated the Super Giants on both occasions last season.

The match is set to be played during the day so dew won’t be a factor.

LSG vs GT head-to-head: Only two matches have been played between the new IPL sides and Gujarat Titans have won both of them.

LSG vs GT probabale playing XIs

LSG: KL Rahul(c), Kyle Mayers, Deepak Hooda, Marcus Stoinis, Krunal Pandya, Nicholas Pooran, Ayush Badoni, Naveen-ul-Haq, Avesh Khan, Ravi Bishnoi, Yudhvir Singh Charak

GT: Wriddhiman Saha, Shubman Gill, Sai Sudharsan, Hardik Pandya (c), Vijay Shankar/Abhinav Manohar, David Miller, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Alzarri Joseph, Mohammed Shami, Mohit Sharma

LSG vs GT live streaming: The match will be live streamed on the JioCinema app and website and will be broadcast on Star Sports Network TV channels.

Squad:

Gujarat Titans: Hardik Pandya (c), Srikar Bharat, Alzarri Joseph, Josh Little, Abhinav Manohar, David Miller, Mohammed Shami, Darshan Nalkande, Noor Ahmad, Urvil Patel, Rashid Khan, Wriddhiman Saha, R Sai Kishore, Sai Sudharsan, Pradeep Sangwan, Dasun Shanaka, Vijay Shankar, Mohit Sharma, Shivam Mavi, Shubman Gill, Odean Smith, Rahul Tewatia, Matthew Wade, Jayant Yadav, Yash Dayal.

Lucknow Super Giants: KL Rahul (c), Kyle Mayers, Deepak Hooda, Krunal Pandya, Amit Mishra, Nicholas Pooran (wk), Naveen ul Haq, Ayush Badoni, Avesh Khan, Karan Sharma, Yudhvir Charak, Yash Thakur, Romario Shepherd, Mark Wood, Swapnil Singh, Manan Vohra, Daniel Sams, Prerak Mankad, Krishnappa Gowtham, Jaydev Unadkat, Marcus Stoinis, Ravi Bishnoi and Mayank Yadav.

With PTI inputs

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