Rajasthan Royals (RR) and Gujarat Titans (GT) are gearing up for an intense clash in Match 24 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur. The two teams have faced off on five previous occasions, with RR winning just one encounter while GT emerged victorious in four matches.
Current Form
RR is currently leading the points table with an impressive record of four wins out of four matches. On the other hand, GT finds itself at number seven, having secured two wins and suffered three losses so far.
Venue and Conditions
The Jaipur pitch is known to offer assistance to bowlers, with the expansive Sawai Mansingh Stadium seldom witnessing high-scoring encounters. The weather forecast suggests temperatures around 35 degrees Celsius at the start of the match, gradually dropping to 30 degrees (with a real feel of 28 degrees) by the end. Rain is not expected, and humidity levels are forecasted to stay below 14%. However, air quality is predicted to remain unhealthy, according to AccuWeather reports.
Previous Encounter
In their last meeting, RR defeated GT, making it four wins out of five encounters between the two teams. The Titans managed to recover from that defeat and eventually topped the table with 10 wins in the league stage, while the Royals missed the playoffs cut after losing six out of their last nine matches.
Key Factors
The Royals are likely to target GT’s Sai Sudharsan with their quick bowlers early on, considering his struggles against pace this season (four dismissals, average of 26, and strike rate of 123.81). Shubman Gill has been dismissed twice by legspin in this IPL, making him a potential target for RR’s Yuzvendra Chahal.
RR has rebuilt their home ground advantage in Jaipur, winning three out of four matches there this season. If Yashasvi Jaiswal performs well with the bat and Sandeep Sharma regains full fitness, the Royals will be a formidable force.
In a league populated by 10 teams, the room for error is minimal. The Royals will be well aware of this as they look to continue their winning run and ensure their domination doesn’t fizzle out like last season. The Titans, having suffered three losses out of five matches, will hope for a turnaround in their fortunes. If the Royals can maintain their early gallop and avoid a repeat of last season’s premature fadeout, they will be in a strong position to make a deep run in the playoffs.