IPL 2022, RR predicted XI vs LSG: Rajasthan Royals endured a tough eight-wicket defeat against Delhi Capitals earlier this week and the Sanju Samson-led unit will hope not to repeat the same mistakes when they lock horns with second-placed Lucknow Super Giants in the Indian Premier League clash on Sunday.
The team are currently placed third on the points table and can find themselves at the wrong end if the fail to rectify their inconsistent run. The batting department looks solid, despite Shimron Hetmyer missing from the ranks.
However, one thing that cost Rajasthan the match against Delhi was experiment. Heading into the crucial encounter against Lucknow, the Royals will look to stick to their core and avoid doing any experiment.
Sending Ashwin may have seen the tailender score a 38-ball 50, but it surely spoils the rhythm for other batters arriving. He starts off slow and is not a big striker of the cricket ball but the franchise have often shown faith in the spinner’s batting abilities. In fact, the franchise themselves made a tactical move earlier in the tournament, when they retired out Ashwin in the middle of an innings, and allowed other batter to join the action in place of the right-handed batter.
In fact, if Ashwin consumes a substantial amount of deliveries and fails to get going, it automatically adds pressure on other batters to single handedly take charge.
Rassie van der Dussen failed to provide the franchise with an ideal finish that Hetmyer has done so far in the season. In this case, the team should include New Zealand all-rounder Jimmy Neesham ahead of the Proteas international.
The bowling too emerged weak and Rajasthan would look to add Navdeep Saini in place of Kuldeep Sen, who was expensive in the outing against Delhi Capitals. Saini is an experienced player and could prove to be a vital cog in the much-important clash.
Openers: Jos Buttler, Yashasvi Jaiswal
Middle-order: Devdutt Padikkal, Sanju Samson
Power-hitters: James Neesham, Riyan Parag
Spin: R Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal
Pace: Prasidh Krishna, Navdeep Saini, Trent Boult
Changes in playing XI: James Neesham comes in place of Rassie van der Dussen. Navdeep Saini comes in for Kuldeep Sen
Changes in batting order: Instead of sending Ashwin at the top, Rajasthan can stick with the regular line-up.
