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IPL 2024: Royals Take on Super Giants in Jaipur Thriller

RR Vs LSG – The opening Sunday of the IPL double-header promises fireworks as Rajasthan Royals (RR) lock horns with Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur.

RR will be upbeat with the return of two in-form players – Yashasvi Jaiswal and Dhruv Jurel – who impressed during the recent Test series against England. All eyes will also be on Sanju Samson, who has a chance to solidify his national team aspirations with a strong performance.

LSG Eyeing Title Shot with Rahul’s Return

LSG skipper KL Rahul rejoins the fray after missing the England Tests. West Indies fast bowler Shamar Joseph is also set for his LSG debut, adding another dimension to their bowling attack. Having faltered in the playoffs last year due to Rahul’s injury, LSG will be determined to go all the way this season.

RR Vs LSG: Weather/Pitch Report

The temperature in Jaipur is likely to hover 21 degree Celsius to 36 degrees Celsius on Sunday with little to no chances of rain, as per Accuweather. Moreover, the average wind speed during the day is likely to be around 15 km/h while there is a 38% chance of cloud cover.

RR Vs LSG: Predicted Playing XI

Rajasthan Royals

Jos Buttler, Yashasvi Jaiswal, SV Samson (C), R Parag, Shimron Hetmyer, DC Jurel, Rovman Powell, Ravichandran Ashwin, Trent Boult, Avesh Khan, Yuzvendra Chahal

Lucknow Super Giants

Q de Kock (wk), Devdutt Padikkal, Nicholas Pooran, KL Rahul (C), MP Stoinis, A Badoni, KH Pandya, Ravi Bishnoi, YS Thakur, Mohsin Khan, Shamar Joseph

RR Vs LSG: Bat First, Chase Later?

Winning the toss and electing to bat seems like a no-brainer for Sunday’s match. The scorching Jaipur heat in the early summer can wear down the fielding team’s energy. Historically, the stadium boasts good batting pitches with lightning-fast outfields, suggesting a potential high-scoring encounter. However, with both teams boasting power hitters, the final score might be even higher than usual.

Here’s a twist: While batting first might be ideal, remember that the pitch can offer some assistance to spinners later in the innings. So, chasing can also be a viable strategy, especially if you have a strong bowling attack that can exploit this.

Captain Choices

RR Vs LSG

• Yashasvi Jaiswal (RR, BAT) – This left-handed prodigy is fresh off a record-breaking IPL 2023 and a successful Test series against England. With the T20 World Cup looming, Jaiswal will be eager to maintain his blistering form and solidify his national team aspirations.
• KL Rahul (LSG, BAT) – After missing out on the T20I squad for two years due to injury, KL Rahul returns to the IPL with a mission. The experienced batsman needs to shine in IPL 2024 to prove his worth for the T20 World Cup selection. His consistent IPL record suggests he’s up for the challenge.
• Sanju Samson (RR, WK) – Rating: C: Leading Rajasthan Royals, Sanju Samson enters a crucial season. After years of inconsistency, he’s finally finding his place in the Indian setup. A strong showing with the bat can solidify his spot for the upcoming World Cup tour and potentially edge out other contenders like Ishan Kishan and Jitesh Sharma.

Key Players to watch

RR Vs LSG – The opening IPL clash promises a showcase of young talent alongside experienced performers. Here are three more players to keep an eye on:

• Devdutt Padikkal (LSG, BAT): After a stellar Test debut, Padikkal aims to solidify his position in the longer format. While a white-ball call-up might be a distant dream, he can use the IPL to make a significant impact and stay on the selectors’ radar.
• Nicholas Pooran (LSG, WK): The explosive West Indian wicketkeeper-batsman is a nightmare for bowlers in T20 cricket. He was instrumental in LSG’s success last season and coach Justin Langer will be hoping for a repeat performance to guide the team to the title.
• Dhruv Jurel (RR, WK): This young talent became a household name after his heroics in the Ranchi Test. A world-class wicketkeeper with the ability to play shots all around the wicket, Jurel will look to build on his successful IPL debut for Rajasthan Royals last year.

RR Vs LSG: Dream11 Team 1, SL & H2H

Wicket-keepers: Jos Buttler, KL Rahul, Quinton de Kock, Nicholas Pooran

Batters: Deepak Hooda, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shimron Hetmyer

All-rounders: Ravi Ashwin, Marcus Stoinis

Bowlers: Yuzi Chahal, Ravi Bishnoi

Captain First-Choice: Jos Buttler || Captain Second-Choice: KL Rahul

Vice-Captain First-Choice: Nicholas Pooran || Vice-captain Second-Choice: Shimron Hetmyer

RR Vs LSG: Dream11 Team 2, GL

Wicket-keepers: Jos Buttler, Sanju Samson, Quinton de Kock, Nicholas Pooran

Batters: Devdutt Padikkal, Yashasvi Jaiswal

All-rounders: Ravi Ashwin, Marcus Stoinis, Krunal Pandya

Bowlers: Yuzi Chahal, Ravi Bishnoi

Captain First-Choice: Yashasvi Jaiswal || Captain Second-Choice: Sanju Samson

Vice-Captain First-Choice: Quinton de Kock || Vice-captain Second-Choice: Marcus Stoinis

RR Vs LSG: Who could Win?

This match-up at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur is likely to favor the team batting second. The pitch is known to be spin-friendly, potentially aiding the Rajasthan Royals’ experienced bowling attack later in the innings. Considering this and their overall bowling strength, Rajasthan Royals might hold a slight edge. However, the advantage for the chasing team shouldn’t be underestimated.

# RR Vs LSG # IPL 2024 # Dream 11 Prediction