IPL 10, Match 13, GL v RPS: Gujarat Lions Predicted XI

Unlike in their first IPL appearance in 2016, the Gujarat Lions have looked like a clueless side so far in the 10th edition of the Indian Premier League. Lack of experience and overseas involvement in the bowling line-up has been heavily exposed. Moreover, some of the batting powerhouses for the Gujarat Lions, on whom the side depends so heavily, have failed on two occasions now. To make matters worse, the Lions are unable to find suitable replacements who can fill in for Ravindra Jadeja and Dwayne Bravo, two of the side’s most valuable players.

It’s an endless list of worries for skipper Suresh Raina, who seems to be quite helpless under the present circumstances. The only positive for Raina has perhaps been his unbeaten knock of 68 against the Kolkata Knight Riders, which was anyway dwarfed by Chris Lynn’s potency.

As far as the Gujarat Lions are concerned, it’s back to the drawing board for the lot. The team has many a loose end to tie up before oppositions further exploit their weaknesses. These are of course beginning stages of the tournament, but as for the Lions, they must treat their next match against the Rising Pune Supergiant like a must-win game.

Here’s a look at CricTracker’s predicted XI for the Gujarat Lions for their clash against Steve Smith’s RPS:

Openers (Jason Roy, Brendon McCullum)

On paper, the Gujarat Lions have one of the most devastating opening pairs in this edition of the IPL. This is one pair that could give RCB’s Gayle-Kohli opening partnership a good run for its money.

Both McCullum and Roy are aggressive batsmen who attack from the very first ball. England’s Jason Roy has had starts in both his games, but has been unable to convert them to big scores. Nevertheless, Roy has looked dangerous, especially against the Sunrisers Hyderabad. He got to 31 in no time before he was dismissed by Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Jason Roy has only given a glimpse of his potential, and he will certainly look to make it count against the Rising Pune Supergiant.

Brendon McCullum, on the other hand, played a very ‘un-McCullum-ish’ innings against the Sunrisers, scraping to a mere 5 runs off 10 balls. McCullum, however, looked to attack the KKR bowlers in the Lions’ first game. No doubt he is an asset to the Gujarat Lions, and his side will indeed hope he brings some fireworks to the stadium against RPS.

Top order (Suresh Raina, Aaron Finch)

Quite like McCullum, Suresh Raina too managed to get to 5 before he was foxed by Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan. Interestingly, Rashid trapped Gujarat’s top three batsmen LBW, with McCullum and Aaron Finch joining Raina in his list of victims. Hopefully, for Raina, this is just a one-off. Suresh Raina, one must remember, is the brand ambassador of the IPL with the bat. Consistency has been his strength, which has led him to rack up the most number of runs in IPL history. With the chips currently down for Gujarat, Raina should grab this opportunity to lead from the front and put in a match-winning performance.

Australia’s Aaron Finch is definitely one of the most dangerous batsmen in the world. But for some reason, Finch hasn’t lived up to his tag so far in the IPL. The cricketing fraternity is well aware of what this man can do with the bat. It’s high time Finch restores his franchise’s hopes. Being an overseas player, he will surely look to make a statement in the next game. If not, the Aussie might find himself warming the bench, only to make way for another foreign player to the side.

Middle order (Dinesh Karthik, Ishaan Kishan, James Faulkner)

Dinesh Karthik is arguably the most underrated player in India today. In spite of batting at no.5 – which means Karthik is likely to face not more than the last 6 overs of the innings – Karthik has stood up for his side. When the Gujarat Lions were tottering at 57-4 against the Sunrisers, Karthik, in tandem with Dwayne Smith, steadied the ship for the team. He is also sharp behind the stumps, and being the frontline keeper for the side, comes as an automatic selection.

In Ishaan Kishan, the Gujarat Lions have a promising youngster who can strike the ball as clean as a whistle. A fearless batsman, Kishan can up the ante and add valuable runs for his side lower down the order. He’s done it on numerous occasions in the domestic season and if given a game, will do it for the Lions as well.

James Faulkner’s addition to the team will strengthen the Lions’ bowling attack to a great extent. A leading exponent of the slower yorker, Faulkner is the ideal bowler at the death. The Aussie also has several tricks up his sleeve which can deceive the best of batsmen. Apart from being a clever bowler, Faulkner is also a match-winner with the bat. His clean hitting has revived Australia from the jaws of defeat on several occasions.

Bowlers (Dhawal Kulkarni, Praveen Kumar, Shadab Jakati, Andrew Tye)

A major remodelling in the Gujarat Lions’ bowling attack is indeed in order. The professionalism of Praveen Kumar has just not been enough for the Lions. Their crop of inexperienced bowlers have leaked runs and have simply been treated with disdain by the likes of Warner and Lynn.

The Gujarat Lions will be forced to play their strike bowlers now. Dhawal Kulkarni, a skiddy customer, has the knack of picking wickets every time he comes into bowl. He’s done this over the years for the Rajasthan Royals and will look to replicate one of his special performances against RPS.

Purely in IPL circumstances, Shadab Jakati can be dubbed a seasoned bowler. His long stint with the Chennai Super Kings saw him chip in with wickets when the side needed them. With Jadeja out of order, Jakati is the sole left arm orthodox spinner who has had considerable exposure in IPL conditions.

The Lions will also look to bring in some serious pace and bounce in the form of Andrew Tye. The Australian quick, in spite of making a late entry to the national side, has been brilliant in the shortest format of the game. If given a go, Tye will surely look to trouble the Supergiant batsmen early on with his rippers.

Match 13 of the Indian Premier League will be an interesting one, as it will see two under-performing teams take on each other. The Rising Pune Supergiant have also had problems of their own, which sets up a contest between underdogs of sorts. The Gujarat Lions will look to play to their strengths and open their account with two valuable points against the Rising Pune Supergiant in Rajkot.