Rajasthan Royals and Gujarat Titans are poised to clash in today’s IPL 2024 match at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur. Rajasthan sits atop the points table, having maintained an unbeaten streak in their four matches so far, while Gujarat has stumbled, losing three out of their five matches, and currently ranks seventh.
The primary concern for Gujarat Titans lies in their middle-order batting lineup. With David Miller sidelined due to injury for two matches, there’s a noticeable lack of experience in the middle order, allowing opposition teams to capitalize on this weakness. Additionally, Rahul Tewatia’s performance hasn’t lived up to the standards of previous seasons, and Kane Williamson’s opportunities in two matches proved fruitless. Consequently, there’s immense pressure on Gujarat’s top-order batsmen to deliver.
In their five IPL encounters to date, Rajasthan Royals have only managed to secure one victory against Gujarat Titans, while Gujarat has emerged victorious in four encounters. The highest score posted by Rajasthan against Gujarat is 188 runs, whereas Gujarat’s highest score against Rajasthan stands at 192 runs.
During the 2022 IPL season, Gujarat Titans swept all three matches against Rajasthan Royals. However, last year, Rajasthan secured their sole victory against Gujarat, with Shimron Hetmyer’s crucial 56 off 26 balls playing a pivotal role in Rajasthan’s win by three wickets.
Former Indian cricketer Noel David, speaking on CRICIT PREDICTA, a special program presented by 1XBAT on India News, highlighted the pitch conditions at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium. He noted that while the pitch favors bowlers, batsmen have managed to score decently. Given the stadium’s size, he suggested that expecting high-scoring matches might be unrealistic. The team bowling first could benefit from the pitch conditions, especially fast bowlers early on, with spinners likely to play a significant role in the middle overs.
In IPL 2024, three matches have been played at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium thus far. None have witnessed scores exceeding 200 runs. This trend suggests that today’s match might see similar scores, with the pitch favoring bowlers and high-scoring matches being less likely.
(Sunil Yash Kalra is a women’s cricket historian and founder of Indian Sports Fans.)