Mayank Yadav promises to be the best bowler of match 21 of IPL 2024, having bowled his side to victory by providing two consecutive Player of the Match performances in his first two matches in the IPL. With relatively one-dimensional batters in the middle-order of the visiting team, Mayank Yadav could well be on his way to supply some crucial breakthroughs for his side.
Mayank Yadav in the side roaring around could be a major plus for Justin Langer coached franchise in their home ground as they will look to win their first match against Gujarat Titans in their backyard.
LSG vs GT previous performances
While Hardik Pandya and his return to Mumbai Indians was understandably the centre of attraction, Shubman Gill’s promotion to Gujarat Titans’ captaincy went under the radar a bit. The 24-year-old had the enviable job of taking forward a franchise that had won a title and finished runners-up in its two editions thus far. Early results indicate a mixed bag for Gill and GT – two wins and as many losses from four games. There has also been a pattern to the games with wins and losses coming alternatively.
Still smarting under their shock defeat to Punjab Kings, the Titans will want to create a winning momentum sooner rather than later. And the challenge begins with facing Lucknow Super Giants at the latter’s den. GT do have a balanced side with all bases covered but whether they are making full use of their resources is debatable. Particularly in the batting department. The bowling also has been a touch patchy with only Mohit Sharma and Noor Ahmad really turning it on with the ball. The Titans will want all departments to click at the earliest.
LSG are brimming with confidence after registering two wins on the trot. They were downed in their tournament opener at Jaipur but the home climes of Lucknow gave KL Rahul’s men just the tonic they needed to bounce back, following which they took down RCB at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. Unassumingly, LSG are brimming with confidence, with Mayank Yadav’s electric pace adding an extra dimension to what was already a potentially dangerous side.
Lucknow’s strength comes from their constructional brilliance when it comes to their squad. They have solid and powerful batters while the bowling department is extremely potent. Even before Mayank Yadav stormed into the spotlight, LSG’s bowling was razor-sharp and their stellar record batting first is a fair reflection of this.
With Mayank Yadav into the mix, LSG’s stocks have risen and in home conditions, it will give Rahul’s side a strong buffer when they take on the fanciest of oppositions. Still early days but both sides will be desperate to get across the line for different reasons.
LSG vs GT Head to Head
GT have proven to be a bogey team for LSG as the latter has never won in the four encounters between the two teams.
Pitch Report and Conditions
This particular venue offers two pitches – one with red soil and the other with black. With the bounce being quite low on the latter, it has proven to be a tough one to bat on. However, both of LSG’s home fixtures this season have been played on the one made up of red soil, and have provided high-scoring matches, with LSG winning both their fixtures this season by batting first, and then applying the strangle on their opponents to get over the line.
Opting to bat first and restricting the team chasing could quite possibly be the way to go for both teams. Contrary to last season when the average first innings total at the venue was just 148, the opening game this year suggests better returns for the batters. The relaid surfaces suggest more pace and bounce, also allowing the pacers to stay in the game longer. Batters should get more value for their shots.
Big picture – Can LSG end their losing streak against Titans with Mayank Yadav in the side.
LSG have the most exciting player of this IPL season in their ranks: Mayank Yadav, the 21 year old tearaway who bowls thunderbolts in excess of 150 kph with unwavering accuracy. He stopped Punjab Kings in their tracks, blew RCB away, bowled the fastest ball of the season (156.7 kph), and became the first to win Player of the Match awards in his first two IPL matches.
Another impressive outing against Gujarat Titans, a team LSG have not beaten in four attempts, will only increase the conversation around Mayank Yadav and the T20 World Cup that starts six days after the IPL final.
India will have to name their squad for that tournament by the end of this month and experts on ESPNCricinfo’s show Timeout have already gone to say that Mayank Yadav’s “skillsets are important” and that “it would be crazy not to look at the players in form”. Mayank Yadav, however, has said that he isn’t looking too far ahead and that his focus is now on the IPL. And, more immediately, trying to score a maiden win for LSG against the Titans.
Mayank Yadav has not yet taken the new ball for LSG and if Shubman Gill is still batting, that match-up could be one that has significant impact on the result of the game. Gill comes into the contest having scored an unbeaten 89 against Punjab Kings, his first substantial innings as the new Titans captain in IPL 2024.
Team news and Impact Player strategy
In the spotlight: Padikkal and Shankar
Ahead of this year’s auction, LSG traded Avesh Khan for Devdutt Padikkal but that move is yet to show results. Batting at No. 3 in the three matches so far, he has scored 0, 9 and 6. Padikkal has also fallen to pace each time. He is the link between LSG’s strong opening combination and Marcus Stoinis and Nicholas Pooran in the middle order, and they need him to ensure that no momentum is lost.
Only Gill and Sudarshan have 100-plus runs this season among Titans’ batters. They don’t have Hardik Pandya to bank on anymore, and with Miller missing, they need players like Vijay Shankar to step up. He has scores of 12 (12 balls), 14* (11) in a run chase, and 8 (10).
Vital stats that matters
.Nicholas Pooran has started the season with 146 runs in three innings at a strike rate of 175, a lot of his quick runs coming against spin. But in Rashid Khan and Noor Ahmad, Titans have two bowlers that Pooran has struggled against. He has scored only 27 runs off 43 balls for two dismissals off Rashid in T20 cricket. Against Noor, Pooran has scored no runs off six balls and been out twice in two innings.
• LSG’s spinners have bowled 24 overs so far this season and taken just two wickets at an average of 99.50. Mumbai Indians’ spinners, who have also struck only twice this season, are the next worst in terms of average (76.50).
• At 8.08, Titans have the second-best economy rate while bowling in the powerplay this season. However, LSG aren’t too far behind at 8.61.
Team watch Probable Playing 11 LSG vs GT.
Lucknow Super Giants
Injuries/Availability: Mohsin Khan is recovering swiftly from a sore back and hamstring concerns that he had during the PBKS game but might not be rushed back just yet.
Tactics and Matchups: Nicholas Pooran has been the form batter for LSG with 146 runs from the three games at an impressive strike rate of 175.9. Against spin, that strike rate goes up to 188, as he has amassed 51 runs off the 27 balls faced.
The West Indies batter has a strike rate of 143.93 during the middle overs (7-15) and his battle against the likes of Rashid Khan and Noor Ahmad will be pivotal to LSG’s fortunes in the game. LSG don’t have much reason to change their playing XI although Ayush Badoni’s lack of form is in the spotlight. Deepak Hooda could come in but the management could give the youngster a longer rope.
Probable XI: KL Rahul (C), Quinton de Kock (WK), Devdutt Padikkal, Marcus Stoinis, Krunal Pandya, Nicholas Pooran, Deepak Hooda, Ravi Bishnoi, Manimaran Siddharth, Mayank Yadav, Yash Thakur
Impact Player : Aayush Badoni
Gujarat Titans
Injuries/availability: David Miller missed the PBKS game with a niggle but should slot back into the XI for this game
Mohit Sharma has not only been GT’s standout bowler this season with seven wickets in four games but also has been his team’s second-highest wicket-taker against LSG (six wickets in two games), narrowly behind Rashid Khan. However, Mohit Sharma’s economy rate of 7.00 and strike rate of 6.57 comfortably puts him above the Afghanistan leg spinner in terms of impact.
Mohit will primarily be in charge of the middle overs and slog overs, and his battle against LSG’s power-hitters could be a massive sub-plot in the context of this game. GT might be tempted to make a change in the batting department with Vijay Shankar’s lukewarm returns. They do have options in the form of Abhinav Manohar and Shahrukh Khan if they want to add more firepower to the middle order.
Probable XI: Wriddhiman Saha (WK), Shubman Gill (C), Kane Williamson, Sai Sudarshan, Azmatullah Omarzai, Abhinav Manohar, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmed, Kartik Tyagi, Mohit Sharma
Impact Player : Darshan Nalkande
Fantasy Playing XI : Shubman Gill, Quinton de Kock, Nicholas Pooran, David Miller, Marcus Stoinis, Rashid Khan, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mayank Yadav, Ravi Bishnoi, Naveen ul Haq, Sai Sudarshan.
LSG vs GT Match Prediction.
Scenario 1
Lucknow Super Giants win the toss and opt to bat.
Powerplay score: 50-60
First innings score: 175-185
Lucknow Super Giants win the match.
Scenario 2
Gujarat Titans win the toss and opt to bat.
Powerplay score: 45-55
First innings score: 180-190
Lucknow Super Giants win the match.