The battle for a place in the IPL 2022 final kicks off tonight at Eden Gardens, where the league-leading Gujarat Titans will meet the Rajasthan Royals. GT has had a phenomenal first season, comfortably securing 10 wins from 14 matches. Their opponents, the Royals, are arriving in great form after defeating the Chennai Super Kings to wrap up the league stage. Led by Sanju Samson, RR looks to maintain their winning streak and will probably rely on the same balanced XI that has served them well.
Captain Hardik Pandya has been a powerhouse with the bat, racking up 413 runs including four half-centuries, while Shubman Gill has provided explosive starts with 403 runs. The bowling attack is spearheaded by Mohammed Shami and Rashid Khan, both of whom have claimed 18 wickets each throughout the 14-game league run.
A significant concern for GT is their lack of confidence when batting first, which could prevent them from reaching the final. While they appear to be the tournament favorites, they have a visible weakness: they struggle to set the pace of the game. This flaw was highlighted during their first defeat of the season against SRH; after being asked to bat first, GT could only manage 162/7 and eventually lost by eight wickets.
Having lost three out of their four total matches while batting first is a worrying trend for the table-toppers. This pattern suggests a systemic vulnerability that the Rajasthan Royals will likely try to exploit if they win the toss.
Another issue plaguing GT's batting order is the instability at the number three spot. The team has cycled through Vijay Shankar, Sai Sudharsan, and Matthew Wade, but none have truly cemented the role. Although Sudharsan managed an impressive unbeaten 65 against PBKS, it wasn't enough to win the game. It remains unclear who will take this critical position in the Qualifier 1 lineup.
Mohammed Shami has been a masterclass in new-ball bowling, consistently removing dangerous openers early in the game. However, he hasn't always had the strongest support at the other end. While Yash Dayal has shown promise, his lack of experience has occasionally led to him conceding too many runs.