Having already confirmed their spot in the IPL 2025 playoffs, former champions Gujarat Titans (GT) aim to strengthen their position at the top of the points table when they face a struggling Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in a league match at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Thursday.

The upcoming match appears to be a significant mismatch based on recent performances. Rishabh Pant’s Lucknow Super Giants are in a downward spiral, having lost four consecutive matches. Their playoff aspirations were officially dashed following a six-wicket loss to Sunrisers Hyderabad in their latest game.

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Conversely, Shubman Gill’s Gujarat Titans have displayed dominant form, securing five wins in their last six matches and sitting atop the table with 18 points from 12 games. Their recent 10-wicket rout of Delhi Capitals highlighted GT’s all-around strength, further solidifying their status as serious title contenders.

In that match, Shubman Gill and his opening partner Sai Sudharsan set a record with a 205-run unbeaten partnership while chasing a challenging target. Sudharsan’s explosive 108 off 61 balls, coupled with Gill’s steady 93 off 53, demonstrated their batting prowess and reinforced GT’s psychological edge over their opponents this season.

Everything seems to align perfectly for GT at this crucial juncture. The stellar performances from Sudharsan (617 runs) and captain Shubman Gill (601 runs), along with Jos Buttler’s contribution of 500 runs, have significantly contributed to the team’s success, with a total of 16 half-centuries and one century showcasing their dominance in the tournament.

While the top order shines, the middle order remains largely untested. However, players like Sherfane Rutherford, Shahrukh Khan, and Rahul Tewatia possess the capability to adjust and play crucial roles as needed.

In stark contrast, LSG has struggled this season. Despite Aiden Markram and Mitchell Marsh’s resilient 115-run partnership against SRH, the Super Giants could not defend a competitive total due to lackluster bowling. Their batting inconsistency, coupled with the lack of contributions from captain Pant and middle-order players like Nicholas Pooran and Ayush Badoni, has added to their woes.

The bowling unit—featuring Akash Deep, Avesh Khan, Ravi Bishnoi, and Digvesh Rathi—has not consistently performed throughout the season. Left-arm pacer Mohsin Khan missed the entire season, and express quick Mayank Yadav has spent much of it sidelined.

To complicate matters further, LSG will be without their leading bowler, spinner Digvesh Rathi, who has taken 14 wickets with an economy rate of 8.18. He faces a one-match suspension due to an on-field incident, worsening their ongoing struggle.

On the other hand, GT’s bowling lineup has excelled, led by Prasidh Krishna, the season’s leading wicket-taker with 21 wickets. Mohammed Siraj and left-arm spinner R Sai Kishore have each contributed with 15 wickets. Complementing this is the return of South African pace sensation Kagiso Rabada, who missed a significant portion of the season due to a suspension.

With GT having won their last four games at this venue, they will look to maintain their momentum as the tournament intensifies.

Squads:

Gujarat Titans: Shubman Gill (C), Jos Buttler (WK), Kumar Kushagra (WK), Anuj Rawat (WK), Sherfane Rutherford, Nishant Sidhu, Mahipal Lomror, Washington Sundar, Mohammed Arshad Khan, R Sai Kishore, Jayant Yadav, Karim Janat, B Sai Sudharsan, Dasun Shanaka, Shahrukh Khan, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Manav Suthar, Gerald Coetzee, Gurnoor Singh Brar, Ishant Sharma, Kulwant Khejroliya, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan.

Lucknow Super Giants: Rishabh Pant (C & WK), Aiden Markram, Mitchell Marsh, Nicholas Pooran, Ayush Badoni, Abdul Samad, David Miller, Shardul Thakur, Avesh Khan, Akash Deep, Ravi Bishnoi, Prince Yadav, Shahbaz Ahmed, Matthew Breetzke, Himmat Singh, Shamar Joseph, Manimaran Siddharth, Aryan Juyal, RS Hangargekar, Yuvraj Chaudhary, Akash Maharaj Singh, Arshin Kulkarni.

In a crucial match against Delhi Capitals on a challenging pitch at Wankhede Stadium, Suryakumar Yadav didn’t quite perform in his usual explosive style. Despite the overcast conditions, he remained calm, paced his innings effectively, and tackled the pressure from spinners during the middle overs. In the final two overs, he shifted to an aggressive approach, helping his team post what he deemed an “above-par” total. Yadav finished his innings with an impressive 73 runs off 43 balls, showcasing some spectacular shots.

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“This innings is something I’ve been hoping for: to face a tough situation and bat through to the end. Perhaps the score is a bit above par given the slow wicket and weather. We planned to take it deep during practice, and I’m glad we executed that today. Patience rewards you in cricket, and it felt good to be out there,” Suryakumar shared with the broadcasters during the mid-innings break.

Coming in to bat after the early departures of Rohit Sharma, Will Jacks, and Ryan Rickelton, Yadav took charge of the innings, tempering his naturally aggressive approach to play strategically. He formed crucial partnerships, including a 55-run fifth-wicket stand with Tilak Varma (27) and an unbroken 57-run partnership with Naman Dhir (24 not out off 8). Yadav’s innings concluded with 73 runs, featuring seven fours and four sixes, at a strike rate of 169.76.

During this innings, the 34-year-old, captain of India’s T20I team and a standout in the format, equaled the record for the most consecutive 25+ scores in men’s T20s, now sitting at 13. He is level with South Africa’s Temba Bavuma and is poised to break the record in Mumbai Indians’ next match of IPL 2025.

Known as SKY, he believed the score was defendable on this pitch: “I haven’t checked the dew yet, but we felt it was a 160-165 wicket. Let’s see how it goes – it’s an exciting match ahead,” he commented.

Mumbai Indians must clinch this victory to secure a spot in the playoffs. Even if they falter, they still hold a chance if they defeat the Punjab Kings in their next match and hope for a Delhi Capitals loss in their last league match.

Stephen Fleming, the head coach of the Chennai Super Kings (CSK), has commended rookie seamer Anshul Kamboj for his impressive contributions during the current Indian Premier League (IPL) season. In his seven appearances, the right-arm fast bowler has taken five wickets and consistently showcased his pace and control.

Fleming noted Kamboj’s development, highlighting his commendable traits, particularly his deceptive speed and ability to generate movement off the pitch.

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“Yes, Kamboj is impressive,” Fleming mentioned in a press conference following Tuesday night’s game.

“He can reach deceptive speeds of 138–139 kmph. His length is a significant strength, causing the ball to wobble. He has great promise with both the white and red balls, and we are pleased with his growth and the opportunity he has embraced this season,” he added.

Kamboj’s notable performance included figures of 1/16 against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), showcasing his ability to bowl with discipline and contain runs. Despite his commendable performance, CSK faced a six-wicket loss against the Rajasthan Royals (RR) in Delhi.

Taking on responsibility, Kamboj delivers strong yorkers and exhibits some seam movement, even if swing is not prevalent. “The ball hits harder than the speed gun suggests. We need to be cautious during the powerplay to limit runs in the first six overs,” MS Dhoni commented. Kamboj bowled three overs in this critical phase.