Gujarat Titans v Rajasthan Royals IPL Tips: Back Strongman Samson to fire Royals at 11/4

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Gujarat Titans v Rajasthan Royals
Wednesday 9 April, 14:00
TV: live on Sky Sports

Gujarat Titans v Rajasthan Royals IPL team news

Gujarat Titans are going well despite the loss of Kagiso Rabada, who has gone home to South Africa for personal reasons. They could bring in Gerald Coetzee if they wished.

Washington Sundar came in and batted at No 4 last time out as Titans beat Sunrisers with ease. Arshad Khan missed out. Glenn Phillips may have picked up an injury as a sub fielder so there seems no prospect of him getting a game at the moment. 

It really is ridiculous that they seem so averse to finding room for the best pound-for-pound player in the world. As a general point, using only two overseas players isn't very smart at all. If they started picking some overseas players they'd be value to win the thing.

Possible Gujarat XI: Sai, Gill, Buttler, Sundar, Rutherford (Ishant sub), Tewatia, Shahrukh, Rashid K, Sai Kishore, Prasidh, Siraj

Rajasthan Royals outclassed Punjab in their previous game to make it two wins on the spin. The Royals are doing okay. Perhaps it was a good idea to get their batting order ship shape with common sense the driver. The experiment with Wanindu Hasaranga in the top order looks to have been abandoned.

We're not enamoured with Kumar Kartikeya being used as an impact player. Tushar Deshpande can be expensive but his potency with the ball (comfortably in the top 13 for strike rate of bowlers who have taken more than 20 wickets in the last two years) would make him a better bet. It's possible he has a niggle.

Possible Royals XI: Jaiswal, Samson, Parag, Rana (Kartikeya sub), Hetmyer, Jurel, Hasaranga, Arsher, Theekshana, Sandeep, Yudvir, Sandeep,

Gujarat Titans v Rajasthan Royals IPL pitch report

Before Punjab defended a whopping score against Gujarat and then the hosts beat MI by 36 runs, there was a 66% bias for the chaser in night games from 23 played. It's possible that dew has been a factor here and the ball change rule in the second dig means the bias is reduced. 

A par line looks likely to be set in the mid 190s would be fair. Overs 194.5, would have been a winner ten times in 20. We do have more faith in the Gujarat batting. Their top three is superb. 

Gujarat Titans v Rajasthan Royals IPL match prediction

Gujarat are 1.855/6. In a tournament which has been dominated by the outsider (14 straight wins for odds-against teams before Tuesday's double-header). Are they one of the few trustworthy outfits at skinny odds?

Against a Royals team which is limited, the answer may be yes. Royals are probably outperforming expectations at this stage, at least with the bat. Where they could struggle here is against GT's strong top order - they are top of the balls per dismissals standings, for example. The underlying numbers with the Royals bowling unit are poor and only Sunrisers have similar struggles.

Gujarat Titans v Rajasthan Royals IPL player bets

Washington Sundar isn't a player who makes a difference to whether a side is value ot not on match bets but we note the rick on him top scoring for Gujarat. He batted at No 4 last time so is underrated at 11/112.00 given the opportunity he could get.

For Royals, we are keen on runs for Sanju Samson at 11/43.75. He is overdue a score and has shown glimpses of form. Samson has a strong record against Titans, averaging 46 with a strike rate of 166 so he should have the feelgood factor. 

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