IPL 9, Match 25 Preview: Gujarat Lions looking to do the double

The 25th match of IPL 9 will witness the new franchises face off against each other. However, while the Gujarat Lions are on a roll, especially following the one-run win over the Delhi Daredevils, the Pune Supergiants’ seemingly have crawled out of their slump. That said, it will be all to play for as the Supergiants and the Lions collide at the Maharashtra Cricket Association in Pune. In  a nutshell, it will be clear that the Gujarat Lions will be looking to do the double over the Supergiants.

Team News-

Rising Pune Supergiants:

The MS Dhoni led team has seemingly stumbled upon a decent bowling combination. With the likes of Irfan Pathan, Ishant Sharma, and RP Singh warming the benches, Ashok Dinda has risen from the ashes to stake his long-overdue claim. All-rounders Mitchell Marsh and Thisara Perera also have gone on to add value to the bowling unit that seemed to be missing a spark during their losing streak.

While the spotlight will be on the performances of many players, one player who the Pune management will have their eyes on will be Saurabh Tiwary. The southpaw has faded away from the limelight in the past few years following substandard performances with the bat. A shoulder injury in early 2015 also did little to help his cause. However, at the moment, an overweight Tiwary has a second opportunity at redeeming his status. With the chopping and changing within the RPS ranks continuing with monotonous regularity, it remains to be seen when Tiwary does indeed get his chance.

Gujarat Lions:

The slender one-run win, while significantly boosting the morale of the Gujarat Lions, has also exposed some gaping holes within their game plan. An unprecedented assault on the Loins from Chris Morris showcased the feeble Lions bowling attack apart from highlighting Suresh Raina’s over-dependence on Ravindra Jadeja and Dwayne Bravo.

While the bowling attack had been sliced into bits by the merciless Chris Morris, one of the shining lights has been the irresistible Dhawal Kulkarni. The latter has been lethal during the powerplay overs. Evidence of this was there for all to see when the Mumbai pacer ripped through the top order of the Daredevils batting by picking up three wickets. Old horse Praveen Kumar has also been crucial for the Lions as he has swung the ball early on and bowled those yorkers in the death to help them seal victories.

Probable XI-

Rising Pune Supergiants:

Ajinkya Rahane, Peter Handscomb, Saurabh Tiwary, Steve Smith, MS Dhoni (C/wk), Mitchell Marsh, Thisara Perera, Irfan Pathan, Ravichandran Ashwin, Murugan Ashwin, Ashok Dinda

Gujarat Lions:

Suresh Raina (C), Dinesh Karthik (wk), Aaron Finch, Brendon McCullum, Ishan Kishan, Ravindra Jadeja, James Faulkner, Dwayne Bravo, Dhawal Kulkarni, Praveen Kumar, Shadab Jakati

StAttack:

1. The Rising Pune Supergiants are yet to win their first game at their home ground.

2. After the Delhi Daredevils match, Praveen Kumar and Dhawal Kulkarni have the best economy rates for the Gujarat Lions.