Gujarat Titans vs Punjab Kings Players Battles Preview:
Gujarat Titans’ auction strategy seemed to be off for many cricket experts. The tendency to acquire less popular players was mocked. But it has been these very players who have put Gujarat on top. Gujarat currently leads the points table with 8 wins in 9 games. They will be up against one of the most fancied teams in the auction, Punjab Kings. The Kings have been sporadically good. But they will need more if they harbor hopes of making it to the playoffs. Let us dive into GT vs PBKS Key Players Battles in detail in the above article.
We look at GT vs PBKS Key Players Battles:
#1 Hardik Pandya vs Kagiso Rabada
Gujarat’s one possible weakness has been their iffy opening partnership. The likes of Shubman Gill and Wriddhiman Saha have struggled for consistency. It has forced their captain, Hardik Pandya, to walk in early.
Pandya to his credit has been exemplary. He has led from the front. In the last two games though, Pandya has been dismissed early. He will be keen to get back into scoring big runs. Pandya will be up against Kagiso Rabada. The Punjab seamer looked to be nearing his best in the game against LSG. It will be a fascinating contest.
We Look At The GT vs PBKS Key Players Battles In This Contest:
#2 Rahul Tewatia vs Arshdeep Singh
There has been no better batter at the death this season than Rahul Tewatia. He has won games for Gujarat from absolutely nowhere. Tewatia smashed two sixes off the last two balls in the earlier game against Punjab. Gujarat had no business winning that game but ended up winning thanks to Tewatia. Punjab would want Arshdeep Singh to have a go at Tewatia. He has been the standout death bowler. It will be a terrific contest.
#3 Shikhar Dhawan vs Lockie Ferguson
Shikhar Dhawan is number 6 on the top-10 batters list. He has been silently doing his bit for the struggling Punjab Kings. In a lineup filled with hitters, Dhawan is the sole timer of the ball. He will again be entrusted to do the heavy lifting against the Titans. But he will have to face the music of Lockie Ferguson. The GT pacer is one of the fastest bowlers in the league along with Umran Malik. Ferguson will test Dhawan with pace and short balls.
#4 Liam Livingstone vs Rashid Khan
The Afghan spinner is one of the most respected bowlers in the IPL. Teams normally don’t tend to attack Khan. They prefer to take the defensive option against him. But Punjab Kings of 2022 is cut from a different cloth. They look to attack every ball and every bowler.
The last time these two sides met, it was the last over from Khan that cost Punjab the game. They threw their wickets away despite having the overs of other bowlers. Liam Livingstone the wrecker in chief of spin will be eager to take Khan on and transfer the pressure.
