Rajasthan Royals face Gujarat Titans in Qualifier Two of the Indian Premier League at Mullanpur on Friday, with a place in the summit clash against Royal Challengers Bengaluru up for grabs. For Rajasthan, led by Riyan Parag, the momentum is coming off Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s standout performances, while Gujarat arrive after a heavy defeat in Qualifier One, going down by 92 runs to RCB. The clash promises a series of intriguing individual battles that could swing the contest either way.
Sooryavanshi vs Gujarat’s powerplay plan
Sooryavanshi has been the Orange Cap holder, stacking up 680 runs at an average of 45.33 and a strike rate above 242. His season includes one century and four half-centuries, and he has also set a record with 65 sixes. In the Eliminator against Sunrisers Hyderabad, he played a near-lone-wolf innings, striking 29 balls for a sequence that tore through a “Men in Orange” unit, with five boundaries and 12 maximums in that tournament run.
Having handled the nerves in just his first IPL knockout appearance, Sooryavanshi now meets a Titans side against whom the matchup looks especially favourable. In three meetings versus Gujarat, he has produced 168 runs, averaging 56 and striking at 233.33, including a hundred. This season alone, he has already delivered quickfire knocks of 31 and 36 against them.
Another encouraging sign for Rajasthan is the way Sooryavanshi has fared against both of Gujarat’s prominent powerplay bowlers. Against Rabada, the left-handed batter has struck 25 runs off 14 deliveries, while versus Siraj he has hammered 38 runs from 20 balls. That kind of form sets up a potential question for Gujarat: can Rabada disrupt Yashasvi Jaiswal, who has been a key figure for Rajasthan?
Rabada, who is joint-highest wicket-taker of the season with 26 dismissals, has a strong record against Jaiswal. He has accounted for him three times in 27 balls, and Jaiswal has managed only 27 runs against him, keeping his strike rate at 100. Jaiswal, meanwhile, has accumulated 426 runs in 15 innings with three fifties, but his recent run in the second half has been uneven, with scores of 51, 6, 3, 12, 43, 27 and 29.
Archer and Buttler’s battles, and the top-three test
Jofra Archer’s numbers against Gujarat’s top order also stand out. He has dismissed Shubman Gill three times in 30 balls and has conceded just 36 runs at an average of 12.00 in that contest, though he has yet to find a breakthrough against Abhinav Manohar Sudharsan, who has scored 44 off 33 balls against him at a strike rate of 133.33.
On the flip side, Jos Buttler has had a dominant read on Archer. He has piled up 109 runs in 56 balls at a strike rate of 194.64 against his fellow Englishman, getting out only twice. The context of the playoffs also underlines why that battle matters: Buttler has totaled 263 runs across four IPL playoff innings, averaging 87.66 with a strike rate of 162.34, including a century and a fifty, with a best score of 106 not out.
Sudharsan’s impact in the same high-pressure phase has been steady as well. In four IPL playoff innings, he has made 233 runs at an average of 58.25, striking at 171.25. His playoff contributions include two fifties, with a highest score of 96.
Gill, too, has carried consistent form into the business end of the tournament. Across 12 IPL playoff matches, he has scored 477 runs at an average of 43.36 and a strike rate above 142, featuring one century and a fifty, with a top score of 129.
