Preview by Ghcalive Staff
David and Goliath square off in the second round of the 2023 Indian Premier League. David was defeated by Goliath in the first round about a month ago, and he will start this battle as the favourite once more. Gujarat Titans have been on a tear ever since Kolkata Knight Riders surprised them at home. Four of their previous five games, including three away from home, have been victories for the defending champions. They will play the Delhi Capitals, who are in last place and seem bound for the wooden spoon, when they return to their home stadium in search of their fourth straight victory.
DC finally appeared to be mounting a respectable comeback after losing their first five games. After that, they won two consecutive games and were definitely favourites to win three in a row before a demoralising loss due to a batting collapse. It’s quite hard to bounce back from a defeat like that, especially when it comes to a squad that has consistently produced victories through improbable circumstances since their debut last year. Even though Mitchell Marsh gave an all-time amazing all-around performance, Sunrisers Hyderabad were able to defeat DC, proving that Titans never stop finding new heroes to save them and help them win.
David Warner, the team captain, should be the first to raise his hand since DC would definitely desire additional players to do the same. He had already scored runs, albeit not at the rate he is accustomed to, but he was dismissed for a first-ball duck when playing against his previous side. The batting-friendly conditions in Ahmedabad should give Warner the assurance he needs to get back to his old self. However, aside from Axar Patel, the Indian middle order hasn’t really come together. Even if a promotion for the left-hander would be advantageous, David still has a lot of work to do before he can beat Goliath.
When: May 2 at 19:30 IST
Where: Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad
What to anticipate: This season, Ahmedabad has been a batter’s paradise. Another matchup where the bat controls the ball is to be expected.
Team Watch
Gujarat Titans
The previous encounter between these two clubs saw Sai Sudarshan get man of the match honours after scoring fifty points. Only three players—Vijay Shankar, Abhinav Manohar, and Sudarshan—currently hold spots in the starting XI.
Probable XI: Wriddhiman Saha (WK), Shubman Gill, Hardik Pandya (C), Vijay Shankar, David Miller, Abhinav Manohar, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad, Mohammed Shami, Josh Little
Matchups & Tactics: In the IPL this year versus DC, wrist spinners have dominated, collecting 16 wickets at an average of little over 14. Two Afghan batters for the Titans, Rashid Khan and Noor Ahmad, have the ability to complicate a batting squad that is already insecure.
Delhi Capitals
After Phil Salt scored fifty in the most recent game, it’s difficult to imagine DC changing their international foursome.
Probable XI: David Warner (C), Phil Salt (WK), Mitchell Marsh, Manish Pandey, Sarfaraz Khan, Lalit Yadav/Ripal Patel, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Anrich Nortje, Ishan Sharma, Mukesh Kumar
Matchups & Tactics:David Warner’s deep hitting in this game might be beneficial to DC in a number of ways. Shami has a good record against him, despite his prowess with the new ball. Since 2020, Warner has been facing leg spin and smashing it at 140 in the IPL.
Have you heard?
Noor Ahmad has a bowling average of 8.75 and an economy rate of 6.67 in the second half of the innings (overs 11-20) in the IPL this season.
Axar Patel averages 32.50 and has a 171 percent strike rate in the IPL 2023.
Squads:
Delhi Capitals Squad: David Warner(c), Philip Salt(w), Mitchell Marsh, Manish Pandey, Priyam Garg, Axar Patel, Ripal Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Anrich Nortje, Ishant Sharma, Mukesh Kumar, Sarfaraz Khan, Lalit Yadav, Abishek Porel, Khaleel Ahmed, Praveen Dubey, Rilee Rossouw, Lungi Ngidi, Mustafizur Rahman, Rovman Powell, Prithvi Shaw, Chetan Sakariya, Aman Hakim Khan, Yash Dhull, Vicky Ostwal
Gujarat Titans Squad: Wriddhiman Saha(w), Abhinav Manohar, Hardik Pandya(c), Vijay Shankar, David Miller, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad, Mohammed Shami, Mohit Sharma, Joshua Little, Shubman Gill, Srikar Bharat, Ravisrinivasan Sai Kishore, Shivam Mavi, Jayant Yadav, Pradeep Sangwan, Matthew Wade, Dasun Shanaka, Odean Smith, Alzarri Joseph, Darshan Nalkande, Urvil Patel, Sai Sudharsan, Yash Dayal
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