IPL 2023: 3 Players Who Will Be Crucial for Rajasthan Royals to Win RR vs GT Match No. 48

IPL 2023: The modern-day IPL rivalry will have another episode on Friday when the two finalists of last season will come face-to-face in Jaipur. The Rajasthan Royals take on the defending champion Gujarat Titans on May 5 at Sawai Mansingh Stadium. Both teams have already played once this season, and it was RR that clinched a 3-wicket win. Thus, it will be another chance for RR to repeat their second win on GT.

Notably, Gujarat won all three games against RR in 2022, so Rajasthan will also look to win every 2023 game. Rajasthan has looked out of sorts in the last game, where they failed to defend a 200-plus total. However, RR had a 4-day gape between their next game which is enough to rethink their plans. Here, we will talk about three important Rajasthan players in RR vs GT Match No. 48.

IPL 2023: 3 Key Players for Rajasthan Royals in RR vs GT Match No. 48

3. Sanju Samson

The RR skipper, Sanju Samson, has looked a bit rusty in the last few games. In the last four games, he has registered scores of 2, 22, 17, and 14, which is not at all as per his standards. It is also one of the reasons that RR has lost two out of its last four games. But the upcoming game is very important for his team.

Because seven teams have 10 or more teams, and the group is getting tougher. The good thing for RR fans is that Samson played the match-winning inning of 60 off 32 against GT in the previous game. Thus, he can play another impactful inning on Friday. He has scored 212 runs at an impressive strike rate of 150.35 so far. GT knows how dangerous he can be because he has done it once already.

2. Jos Buttler

Just like Samson, the explosive RR opener, Jos Buttler, has also struggled in the last few games. He registered a five-ball duck against the defending champion in the previous game. Since then, he has scored only 95 runs in five innings, including two ducks. Buttler is Rajasthan’s prolific scorer, and his dip in form has somehow affected RR’s performance in this competition.

Buttler is not among those who will keep getting out cheaply, and one can expect a match-winning knock from him very soon. And it is possible that he can win the game against GT on Friday on his own. Overall, he has scored 289 runs in nine innings at an average and strike rate of 32.11 and 138.94, with three half-centuries. But if he gets going, RR will be in the driving seat.

1. Yashasvi Jaiswal

Yashasvi Jaiswal is having the best performance of his career in the ongoing tournament. The left-hander has overshadowed the likes of Buttler, Samson, and Shimron Hetmyer, which speaks volumes about the 22-year-old. He is coming off a century in the last game against MI, and he single-handedly took RR to a score of 212. Jaiswal made 124 off just 62 at a strike rate of 200.

The left-hander is the second-highest run-getter in the competition and is only 38 runs behind Faf du Plessis to take the “Orange Cap.” Jaiswal has scored 428 runs in nine innings at an average of 47.56 and a brilliant strike rate of 159.70. He has also scored one century and three half-centuries. His quick starts are putting pressure on the opposition. Thus, he will be a big wicket for the defending champion.