GT Predicted XI vs DC, IPL 2022: 37-year-old veteran likely to get nod as Hardik-led side aims for second straight win | Cricket

After dishing out a superb show on their IPL debut, Gujarat Titans will look to extend the winning run and notch up their second straight victory when they take on Delhi Capitals on Saturday. The Hardik Pandya-led side ticked all boxes in its first-ever IPL game against fellow newcomers Lucknow Super Giants. Pacer Mohammed Shami bowled a Test match line and length to scythe through the opposition batting attack before fighting knocks from Deepak Hooda and Ayush Badoni guided Lucknow to 158/6 in their assigned 20 overs.

In response, the Titans relied on Rahul Tewatia’s blitz as they overhauled the modest target with two balls left. Tewatia smashed an unbeaten 40 off 24 balls and he found support from David Miller, who made 30. The pair put up 60 off 34 balls to swing the momentum back in Gujarat’s favour. Tewatia hammered two sixes and five fours, and Abhinav Manohar also chipped in with a seven-ball 15 towards the end. 

Also, skipper Hardik resuming bowling duties was a pleasing sight for every fan of Indian cricket. As the action shifts to Pune, can Gujarat continue the winning run and make it two in two? It will be interesting to see if the GT think-tank tinkers with the team combination against a dominant DC unit.

Ahead of Match 10 of IPL 2022 at the MCA Stadium, Pune, we take a look at the probable playing XI for Gujarat Titans…

Shubman Gill: Going by the trend, Hardik will most likely elect to bowl first and Gujarat will expect Gill to steer them to a steady start in Pune. The venue saw Rajasthan putting up a 200-plus total and this game could also turn out to be a run-fest if Gill fires at the top. Gill flaunts a healthy 30-plus average in the IPL and he’ll be eager to get some runs as he returns from a long injury lay-off. He had registered a duck against LSG.

Matthew Wade (wk): Playing his first IPL game in 11 years, the Australian looked steady during his stay at the crease against Lucknow. He put up a crucial half-century stand with skipper Pandya but got out for 30 against Deepak Hooda.

Vijay Shankar/Wriddhiman Saha: Shankar came to bat up the order but perished on just 4. He wasn’t given a single over with Hardik bowling his full quota of four overs. If Gujarat decide to drop Shankar, Saha could come in his place. 

The wicketkeeper-batter has plenty of experience under his belt with the ability to bat at any position, which makes him an ideal No. 3 when the Titans don’t have many specialist batters. In 133 IPL games, he’s scored over 2000 runs at a strike rate of just under 30.

Abhinav Manohar: His knock against Lucknow was praised by skipper Hardik, who labelled Manohar “someone you are going to hear about in future”. With Titans needing 11 off the final over, Manohar smashed back-to-back fours off Avesh Khan to make the task much easier for his team.

Hardik Pandya (c): Hardik, who played his first game since November last year, bowled four overs and scored 33 batting at number four. He would look to continue his rhythm with the ball and shoulder more responsibility with the willow.

David Miller: His contribution of 30 was crucial before Tewatia’s batting blitz helped the Titans post a thrilling win. The hard-hitter has been a part of the IPL since 2014, and with experience of 85 IPL matches, he can be a handy middle-order batter for any team. He will be up against his old IPL franchise Rajasthan Royals.

Rahul Tewatia: He was sensational against Lucknow. With 68 needed off the last 30 balls, Tewatia teamed up with Manohar as the pair hit five boundaries and two maximums to take the Titans home. He batted at a strike rate of 166.67 in the previous game. Expect some late fireworks in Pune!

Rashid Khan: He’s an automatic choice in any T20 team across the globe. Rashid picked up the crucial wicket of Deepak Hooda in the last match and was excellent with his googlies and a varied pace. He was also a vital cog in Sunrisers’ wheel with an impressive economy of 6.33.

Lockie Ferguson: He bowled many thunderbolts against Lucknow to return with figures of 0/24 in his four overs. Ferguson and Shami will be working in tandem to pluck some wickets in the first six overs. He played a total of 8 games last season and got 13 wickets.

Varun Aaron: He was a bit expensive in the previous game but was excellent with his pace factor. He also picked up the wickets of Evin Lewis and Ayush Badoni, and the speedster will look to add a few more to his name. In a segment of his bowling variations, Aaron even bowled a swinging knuckleball against Lucknow.

Mohammed Shami: His sensational spell ripped through the opposition top-order, reducing Lucknow to 29 for four in the powerplay. The Indian pacer got KL Rahul on the very first delivery and then castled Quinton de Kock. His third prey was Manish Pandey, who missed a delivery that was pitched on the fourth stump but came back sharply. The Titans fans await another Mohammed Shami show.