*GT VS LSG MATCH 51 PREVIEW:*
*THE BUILD UP:*
*FIGHT FOR THE CROWN INTENSIFIES:*
We have moved into the business end of the tournament and the mood in the camps is intense. Both Gujarat and Lucknow have been incredible this season, more so with the case of Gujarat sitting pretty comfortably at 14 points with 7 wins in just 10 games. Today gives Lucknow a chance to rise to the second spot in the points table, strengthening their case as a Top 2 contender and making a statement without their regular skipper KL in charge. Fans will be on the receiving end of a family feud with brothers Krunal (Captain of LSG) and Hardik (Captain of GT) leading their respective sides in what is expected to be an enthralling contest full of thrills. The crown is at stake and it’s very much up for grabs as well.
*LSG PROBABLE XI:*
Quinton Dekock, Kyle Mayers, Deepak Hooda, Krunal Pandya, Marcus Stoinis, Nicholas Pooran, Ayush Badoni, K Gowtham, Avesh Khan, Mohsin Khan, Ravi Bishnoi
Dekock should have ideally made it to the XI last game but a change in the LSG thinktank made him wait even further. Today could be his lucky day as he could partner Mayers upfront to give LSG a rockling start. However, the two will have to be extra careful against Mohammad Shami who has been breathing fire this season with the new ball, in particular.
The inclusion of Dekock would mean a harsh miss for Naveen Ul Haq. But given the stability that Dekock provides right at the top, LSG would be willing to take this risk with Mohsin Khan, coming back into their setup after a stellar last season.
Given the carry and the bounce that the pacers have been able to extract, expect a similar surface at Ahmedabad. The likes of Mohsin and Avesh, who are hit the deck hard bowlers, will enjoy bowling here and putting GT bowlers under pressure. A fiesty bowlers between these two and Hardik is on cards, specially with the GT skipper struggling against high pace back of length deliveries targeted at shoulder height.
*IMPACT PLAYER STRATEGY:*
Amit Mishra likely to join the XI if LSG bowl second. He has been their impact substitute most often and today being no different, we may see something similar. If LSG bat second, we could see Badoni as the impact substitute.
*GT PROBABLE XI:*
Shubman Gill, Wridhiman Saha(wk), Vijay Shankar, Hardik Pandya, David Miller, Abhinav Manohar, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Alzarri Joseph, Noor Ahmed, Mohammad Shami
With the Ahmedabad surface favouring the faster bowling type who can generate pace and bounce, Alzarri fits the bill and should be slotted in almost immediately. With the LSG middle order in form, the Caribbean speedster could well be GT’s trump card today.
Mohammad Shami vs Quinton Dekock upfront with the former getting the better of the latter thrice but also being bashed at a strike rate of 146 could be a tasty battle.
Noor Ahmed and Rashid Khan operating in tandem could pose threat to LSG. The two Afghani leg spinners have been in command and have always been a step ahead of the opposition, expect nothing different from them today as well. With the bigger boundaries here at the Narendra Modi stadium, the importance that they bring to the table could increase. Noor’s matchup vs the left armers in Lucknow’s batting circle could be as fiesty as it gets.
*IMPACT PLAYER STRATEGY:*
Mohit Sharma likely to come in as the impact sub. But if Gujarat bat second, we could see Manohar or Gill play a similar role.
*MY PREDICTIONS FOR THE GAME:*
*FOR LSG:*
Highest run getter- Kyle Mayers/Nicholas Pooran
Highest wicket taker- Mohsin Khan/Amit Mishra/Ravi Bishnoi
*FOR GT:*
Highest run getter- Shubman Gill/Hardik Pandya
Highest wicket taker- Noor Ahmed/Mohammad Shami
*FOR THE GAME:*
GT to win this game