GT vs RR Match Preview, IPL 2023: Gujarat Titans Eye Top Spot and Dominance against Rajasthan Royals

Gujarat Titans (GT) and Rajasthan Royals (RR) will face off in match number 23 of the Indian Premier League at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad on Sunday.

GT have defeated Chennai Super Kings (CSK) by 5 wickets in the season opener and then beat Delhi Capitals by wickets. They then were blown away by Riku Singh and lost to KKR by 3 wickets in a thriller but bounced back with a 6-wicket win over Punjab Kings (PBKS).

RR, on the other hand, opened their campaign with a 7-run win over Sunrisers Hyderabad but lost to Punjab Kings by 5 runs. The inaugural champions bounced back by defeating Delhi Capitals by 57 runs and then defeated Chennai Super Kings (CSK) by 3 runs.

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What: GT vs RR, IPL 2023 Match 23

When: April 16, Sunday

Where: Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad

Start Time: 7:30 PM IST

Gujarat Titans Team News

History is on Hardik Pandya’s side as the team has won all three games against the Royals so far, and that would certainly play on the minds of the Sanju Samson-led Rajasthan outfit at the Narendra Modi Stadium.

Who can forget the Titans’ seven-wicket victory in the IPL 2022 final in only their first year, with Pandya’s side making it a one-sided contest, winning with 11 balls to spare.

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The Titans’ victories in the league phase too were an affirmation of the class and commitment of the team, which is currently placed third on the points table with six points — same as Lucknow Super Giants and the Royals, with only net run rate (NRR) separating the sides.

While both the sides are equally matched on the batting and bowling fronts, the psychological edge the Titans enjoy by virtue of the three wins last year could play a huge role in the contest.

Rajasthan Royals Team News

While on the other hand, Samson’s side would be keen to break the jinx and show past results don’t matter much.

With the core of the two sides almost the same, match-ups would have been well researched and the team that is able to withstand the pressure better at the gigantic Narendra Modi Stadium should emerge as the winner.

The Royals’ top order has been one of the most devastating this season with the likes of Yashasvi Jaiswal, Jos Buttler and Sanju Samson helping the side to the highest average powerplay score of 66.8 among 10 teams in IPL 2023.

Besides, Buttler’s powerplay strike rate of 196.6 is the best among batters, not to forget that he has scored a whopping 114 runs in those crucial six overs so far.

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Also Jaiswal’s 92 at a strike rate of 184 in the powerplay overs so far is something the Titan’s won’t take lightly.

With matches being won and lost on the basis of how teams fare in powerplays, another cracking start for Royals on Sunday could earn them their first win against the defending champions.

With the likes of Devdutt Padikkal, Ravichandran Ashwin, Shimron Hetmyer and West Indian all-rounder Jason Holder in the middle order, the Royals bat really deep.

On the bowling front too, the Royals have the second-best economy rate of 7.3 thus far, just behind Royal Challengers Bangalore (6.3).

With all three top spinners — Adam Zampa, Ashwin and Yuzvendra Chahal — pressed into service in the Royals’ game against Chennai Super Kings, which the last year’s runner-up side won by three runs, it remains to be seen what will be their bowling strategy against the Titans on Sunday.

Full Squads:

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.

Rajasthan Royals: Sanju Samson (c), Abdul Basith, Murugan Ashwin, Ravichandran Ashwin, KM Asif, Trent Boult, Jos Buttler, KC Cariappa, Yuzvendra Chahal, Donovan Ferreira, Shimron Hetmyer, Jason Holder, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel, Obed McCoy, Devdutt Padikkal, Riyan Parag, Kunal Singh Rathore, Joe Root, Navdeep Saini, Sandeep Sharma, Kuldeep Sen, Akash Vasisht, Kuldip Yadav, Adam Zampa.

With PTI inputs

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