Rajasthan Royals v Lucknow Super Giants IPL Tips: Buttler and QDK the picks to star

• Royals favourites

• Buttler and QDK make sense

• Keep an eye on wicket

• Read about Ed's Betfair Exchange strategy

Rajasthan Royals v Lucknow Super Giants
Sunday 24 March, 10:00
TV: Live on Sky Sports

Rajasthan Royals v Lucknow Super Giants team news

Royals are one of the best-balanced teams in the competition. The loss of Adam Zampa on the eve of the tournament is not a big deal because they already had Yuz Chahal and Ravi Ashwin. Spin all-rounder Tanush Kotian is a replacement. He has very decent numbers with the ball. They must pick between Shimron Hetmyer or Donovan Ferriera for a finishing slot.

Possible XI: Buttler, Jaiswal, Samson, Powell, Ferreira, Parag, Jurel, Ashwin, Avesh, Boult, Chahal

David Willey will miss the start of the LSG season for personal reasons. With Marcus Stoinis and Krunal Pandya available as all-rounders, though, he was unlikely to be a lock. They have a potential stodgy front three with KL Rahul and Dev Paddikal under pressure to score quickly.

Possible XI: De Kock, Rahul, Padikkal, Pooran, Hooda, Stoinis, Krunal, Bishnoi, Mohsin, Mavi, Naveen

Rajasthan Royals v Lucknow Super Giants pitch report

Jaipur can be a little stodgy. Seven times in the last 12 IPL fixtures first-innings scores have come in under 170. In the 2023 Syed Mushtaq Trophy there were only three of more than 150 in 14. That is extreme and we do expect a flatter surface. It's a watching brief for this ground at this stage although it would make sense for Royals to help their spinners. We would expect an innings runs line in the mid 160s.

Rajasthan Royals v Lucknow Super Giants match odds

Rajasthan are 1.804/5 with Lucknow 2.1211/10. The Royals are a warm order this year and with the players they have available should mount a significant challenge.

Lucknow have had issues against spin in the past and that could be the decisive factor with Chahal and Ashwin in action. Last season LSG won at this venue when they managed to defend 154.

Rajasthan Royals v Lucknow Super Giants Exchange strategy

This is a game which could work for our tie trade strategy on the exchange. The tie should go off at around the 34.033/1 mark and we're looking for a close finish from the death overs. If it's looking close we're keeping an eye on for a price of around 12.011/1 to lay back at double the original stake.

Rajasthan Royals v Lucknow Super Giants player bets

Yas Jaiswal will be all the rage at a boosted 13/53.60 for top Royals bat. He has a 29% win rate in the last two years. Jos Buttler wins at 38%, though, and is 11/43.75. Buttler, then, is the clear value given the disparity between implied probability and reality. For Lucknow, Quinton de Kock and KL Rahul win at 36.8% and 33.3% respectively. Rahul is 11/43.75. We'll go for De Kock on the same rationale at 16/54.20.

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