Lucknow Super Giants vs Rajasthan Royals: Who will be able to avoid the mid-table logjam

Lucknow Super Giants will lock horns with Rajasthan Royals at Brabourne Stadium. The match will be a crucial decider of the line-up for playoffs. Despite a good season, both the teams are coming with a loss from their previous game. A win for Lucknow Super Giants will make them the second team to qualify for the playoffs. On the other hand, Rajasthan will move one foot ahead in the competition. 

Lucknow Super Giants are one of the most balanced teams in the tournament, with plenty of all-rounders in the team. Their opening duo, KL Rahul and Quinton de Kock, have been pretty consistent, with Deepak Hooda regularly contributing in the middle order. The team struggles with a sudden collapse in the middle and lower order despite having quality all-rounders and will have to work on that aspect. Their bowling unit has been good so far but will have to be best against Rajasthan's batters. 

Rajasthan Royals, too, have similar issues to tackle as Lucknow Super Giants. In the absence of Shimron Hetmyer, they lack a quality run-scorer in the middle order. They tried Rassie van der Dussen in the previous match but needed someone better to play the finishing role. They might go with James Neesham to solve the issue. Another issue with the team is their continuous experiment with Ravichandran Ashwin to bat at number 3. Though he has justified getting at that position, it affects the best that can come in the form of skipper Snaju Samson himself. The Bowling unit is not at all a matter of concern as it is one of the best and strongest that any team can have.

Players to watch out for

Batters: Devdutt Padikkal and Deepak Hooda

Devdutt Padikkal played a crucial role in the previous match for RR by adding 53 runs at the third wicket alongside Ravichandran Ashwin and will look to play a similar anchoring role. Deepak Hooda has made 347 in 12 matches with an average of 28.91. He has not been dismissed for a single-digit score in the last five games and will be eyeing a similar performance. 

Bowlers: Yuzvendra Chahal and Avesh Khan

Yuzvendra Chahal has been one of the most successful and loved bowlers of this season, having picked 23 wickets in 12 matches. After having an expensive spell against DC in the last game, he will be looking forward to a cracking comeback. Avesh Khan is the leading wicket-taker for his team, having a strike rate of 13.7, and will look to get early breakthroughs for his team in this crucial encounter.

Stats to keep an eye on

• Trent Boult has dismissed KL Rahul twice, including a first-ball duck earlier this season, but KL Rahul has also smashed 110 runs off 63 balls against him.
• With 459 runs in 12 innings, KL Rahul is currently the second-highest run-scorer this season, but he has also been dismissed five times in single digits, including three times on zero.
• Avesh Khan is the only bowler in IPL 2022 with five or more wickets in each phase (powerplay, middle overs, death).
• Mohsin Khan has the best economy rate among those who have bowled at least ten overs in IPL 2022 (5.19).
• Trent Boult has an economy rate of 14.28 at the death, the third-worst in the tournament.

The match-up between Trent Boult and KL Rahul will be a fascinating one. Earlier in this season, Rajasthan Royals defeated Lucknow Super Giants in a close finish and will be another promising one at a high-scoring venue. LSG vs RR, who will have a stronghold in the playoff race?