RR vs GT: Hardik Pandya particular helps Gujarat hammer Rajasthan, storm to prime of IPL 2022 factors desk

Captain Hardik Pandya’s all-round heroics powered Gujarat Titans to the highest of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 factors desk as GT defeated Rajasthan Royals by 37 runs to register their fourth win of the season in Mumbai on Thursday.

Hardik scored an unbeaten 87 with the bat, ran out opposition skipper Sanju Samson with a pointy throw, after which picked up James Neesham’s wicket with the ball. Lockie Ferguson (3/23) and Yash Dayal (3/40) starred with the ball, and returned with three wickets every to derail Rajasthan’s chase after Jos Buttler smacked an entertaining fifty.

Ferguson magic

Ferguson dismissed the in-form Buttler, who was deceived by the pacer’s sluggish yorker after a collection of fast deliveries. Ferguson additionally dismissed Ravichandran Ashwin in the identical over after the senior India spinner was promoted to bat at quantity three. The different notable contribution to Royals’ innings got here from Shimron Hetmyer (29 off 17). From 56 for one, Royals slipped to 90 for 5 and couldn’t recuperate from there on.

Hardik, who has been bowling commonly this season, additionally picked up a wicket however he took himself off the assault within the 18th over after feeling a bit discomfort within the groin space. With their fourth win in 5 video games, Titans displaced Royals from the highest of the factors desk. It was Royals’ second loss in 5 video games.

IPL 2022 RR vs GT: Highlights

Buttler dazzles

Jos Buttler expressed his intentions by kickstarting Rajasthan’s chase in a dynamic style as he smashed Mohammed Shami for 3 back-to-back boundaries within the very first over after Gujarat Titans wasted a evaluation off the primary supply. Buttler continued his assault on the debutant and hit Yash Dayal for 2 boundaries and a six earlier than his fellow opener Devdutt Padikkal didn’t open his account in the identical over. Buttler went on to attain a speedy 54 earlier than getting castled by Lockie Ferguson.

Hardik leads

Captain Hardik Pandya led from the entrance and scored an entertaining 87* to information Gujarat Titans to 192 for 4 after being put to bat by Rajasthan skipper Sanju Samson. Hardik joined arms with Abhinav Manohar (43) to revive Gujarat after an early stutter because the duo stitched an 86-run stand for the fourth wicket earlier than the skipper mixed with David Miller so as to add 53 off 25 balls.

Hardik’s 52-ball knock was studded with eight fours and 4 sixes. Hardik took the assault to Kuldeep Sen as he hammered the RR pacer for 3 successive boundaries within the fifth over. He then fetched his first most within the seventh over, when he clobbered Riyan Parag over his head.

Manohar, Miller sizzle

The duo upped the ante when Manohar launched into inform Yuzvendra Chahal, hammering him for a 4 and most, a lofted inside-out drive over cowl. The two then took on Kuldeep, hammering him for 3 boundaries within the 14th over, the place Hardik additionally notched up his fifty, with a reduce in direction of the backward level fence.

And within the subsequent over, Pandya clobbered two successive maximums off seasoned spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, who leaked 16 runs within the over. With the Titans reaching 130/3 in 15 overs, the stage was set for a giant complete.

Gujarat stutter

Both groups made modifications to their taking part in XI on Thursday. Trent Boult, who bowled fantastically towards Lucknow Super Giants to select up 2 for 30 off his 4 overs, missed out due to a niggle and he was changed by Jimmy Neesham.

Meanwhile, Gujarat Titans not noted Sai Sudharsan as Vijay Shankar returned to the facet. Darshan Nalkande, who conceded 22 runs in 2.1 overs in GT’s 8-wicket defeat to Sunrisers Hyderabad, was dropped – Yash Dayal was given a debut.

RR would have instantly felt Trent Boult’s absence when Neesham was hit for 3 boundaries by Matthew Wade within the first over. However, Wade was run out within the subsequent over. Earlier, Gujarat Titans had been off to a poor begin as they misplaced opener Matthew Wade (12) cheaply, courtesy of a direct hit by Rassie Van Der Dussen from cowl. Gujarat had been down to fifteen/2, as Vijay Shakar (2) additionally perished cheaply after which an in-form however reckless Shubman Gill (13) turned Parag’s first sufferer after he was caught by Shimron Hetymar on the long-on fence.