Although the Rajasthan Royals (RR) successfully won four matches, the Gujarat Titans (GT) stood in their way and stole their fifth match. The game was a thrill to watch, as it was a close call. Rajasthan Royals scored a high total of 196 and was formidable throughout the IPL 2024, so Gujarat Titans needed to score 197 to win. On the last ball, Rashid Khan hit the ball for four runs, helping GT claim 197 runs and win the match, becoming the second-highest in IPL matches played in Jaipur.
Rajasthan Royals Loss to Gujarat Titans
Rajasthan Royals faced their first loss in the Indian Premier League 2024 despite posting a competitive 196/3 against Gujarat Titans. The Rajasthan Royals were batting first, and they lost their openers early. However, Riyan Parag and Sanju Samson stitched together a crucial 130-run stand for the third wicket. Parag scored 76 off 48 balls, hitting five sixes and three fours to lead RR to a strong finish.
Captain Sanju Samson then notched up his second successive fifty with an unbeaten 68 off 38 balls. Samson’s innings was studded with seven foundries and two sixes. Parag also helped the Royals post a challenging total. However, Titans’ skipper Shubman Gill was ready to turn the match towards his team’s side.
Gill anchored the run-chase expertly with a 72 off 44 balls. His performance allowed Rahul Tewatia and Rashid Khan to create a forceful close. The two made a six-hitting late in the innings.
The Titans were at 79/3, but thanks to Gill’s role and the late powerful hit, they successfully knocked off the required runs on the last ball. Kuldeep Sen was the pick of RR’s bowlers with 3/41, but the bowling unit couldn’t defend GT’s death overs.
What Went Wrong?
There’s no doubt that RR has talented players, like Ravi Shastri predictions with Stake.com, that Yashasvi Jaiswal would be the one to watch this season. However, it wasn’t the first time the Royals faced a similar problem. In the IPL 2023, RR faltered, losing six of their last nine games. The season ended with RR falling out of the playoff berth. So, what caused their loss against the Gujarat Titans this time?
Slow Over Rate
Rajasthan Royals was doing very well throughout the season. The team managed to score a good total of 196/3 while batting first. However, they were slow in completing their overs within the allotted time.
This disadvantaged the team, as they received a penalty under the slow over-rate rules. The penalty limited their ability to have four fielders outside the 30-yard circle during Gujrat Titans’ innings.
Having only four fielders instead of five made the team’s fielding position weaker. Gujarat batters like Rahul Tewatia and Rashid Khan immediately took advantage of the penalty. It made scoring boundaries easier for them.
The field was open, and they could target areas with fewer fielders. This helped the Gujarat Titans chase down the target in the last over.
Miscalculation
Rajasthan Royals were in control for most of the innings while defending Gujarat Titans’ target of 197. However, Rahul Tewatia and Rashid Khan’s late appearances produced big hits in the last few overs, putting pressure on Rajasthan Royals towards the end.
It was seen as a miscalculation on Sanju Samson’s part. Some also guessed that RR might have been holding back because they were in the winning position.
Primarily, Samson was criticised for not using their leading bowler, Trent Boult, in the final over. He had been in a commanding position earlier, and if he was to face the last few overs, he could have held the fort down.
With Boult’s pace and accuracy, he could have possibly defended the runs in the final over. However, Samson didn’t use him, and the other bowlers failed to uphold the runs from Tewatia and Rashid Khan. The two took their side over the line with some boundaries in the final balls.
Losing Wicket Early
RR lost both openers early in the powerplay and could only score 43/2 in the first six overs. This put them on the back foot to start with. Samson and Parag then had to rebuild the innings with a 130-run stand to give their team a decent total.
Even then, they only managed 196, which wasn’t a competitive total given GT’s batting strength. In reply, GT openers got off to a flying start. GT scored 44 runs in the powerplay without losing a wicket, which might put more pressure on RR.
Kuldeep dismissed three batters, but GT was still well placed at 79/3, with Gill anchoring the innings. Gill scored a 50 and added valuable runs with others to take the game deep.
What We Can Learn From the Match
Despite the team’s loss to the Gujarat Titans, there were plenty of positives they were showing in their performance. They brought home four straight wins, and RR’s loss against GT was their first loss of IPL 2024.
Riyan Parag batted first, followed by Sanju Samson, who scored quickfire fifties and built the Royals’ innings. Kuldeep Sen also struck thrice for his team in the chase. Yet, the Titans successfully snuck a win off the last ball. Although they started on a tricky footing, Parag, Samson, and Hetmyer showed an outstanding play.
However, the last ball was the fundamental problem in this match. GT chased down the target, and RR bowlers couldn’t defend the total under pressure. Kuldeep Sen picked three crucial wickets, but the other bowlers failed to close the match. Not to mention, Titans’ batters like Gill played exceptionally well, and RR may have misfielded, instead allowing GT to stay in the game.
RR’s director, Sangakkara, said they might not have used the pitch conditions to their advantage as well as they could have while bowling. There were a few mistakes in the deathovers, but we couldn’t overlook GT’s determination. If there’s one thing that RR can learn from this match, it’s that they need to learn how to defend challenging targets better.
Rajasthan Royals’ Strength
The Rajasthan Royals didn’t immediately gain popularity when the Indian Premier League inaugural edition was played. They weren’t considered a prominent team, but Shane Warne’s captaincy brought RR to its first IPL win. Then, RR qualified for the 2022 final under Sanju Samson’s lead, but they were held back by GT, who Hardik Pandya led.
In 2023, RR became one of the favourite teams expected to win the title, but they failed to qualify for the playoffs. Despite several setbacks, the Rajasthan Royals are a strong team.
Skillful Players
The Royals have multiple players whose names are known internationally. Outstanding batters like Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sanju Samson, and Jos Buttler are well-known for their exceptional skill. Jaiswal showcased a spectacular play in the 2023 IPL season. He ended up as the fifth-highest run-getter with 625 runs in 14 games. His strike rate at the season was 163.61.
Sanju Samson also plays with a lot of responsibility on top of his shoulders, but he’s more than capable of assisting both openers and strengthening the team’s top order. Buttler and Samson have been with the squad since 2018. Both have vast experience that makes them the face of the team.
Spin Attack
We’ve talked about the skilful batters that RR has, but there are other names that the team is known for. Ravichandran Ashwin, Adam Zampa, and Yuzvandra Chahal are spinners who have made outstanding plays that can break batters’ play effortlessly.
The three have had a lot of impressive performances in international cricket, including the World Cup. Zampa showed his skills in the 2023 season, taking 23 wickets in 11 matches with an economy of 5.36. Zampa also became the second-leading wicket-taker in RR’s sixth title win. Ashwin and Chahal are also famous for being able to be exceptional defend against batters.
RR’s Weaknesses
Despite having multiple talented players, the Royals don’t have many all-rounders. Their players are mostly skilful in their position, but the only all-rounder the Royals have is Ashwin. The team used to have Jason Holder before the 2024 auction, but with only one all-rounder, they’ll face teams with multiple all-rounders. This lowers the strategy flexibility that the team can make.
The leading players’ forms have also been a concern to many fans. Jos Buttler often looks inconsistent with his bat since the 2023 season. He hit three fifties facing the West Indies, but it was hard to predict if he would perform as well in the next matches. Prasidh Krishna had also been seen out of form in several matches. Fans criticised him for lack of discipline and splurged a lot of runs in the T20 International series. If the same problem continues, it’ll bring a lot of trouble to Rajasthan Royals in the long run.
Gujarat Titans Strength
Gujarat Titans spent INR 30.30 crores to buy eight top players in the 2024 IPL auction, including Umesh Yadav and Shahrukh Khan. Spencer Johnson became GT’s costliest buy with INR 10 crore, completing GT’s 25-member squad.
Exceptional International Stalwarts
With exceptional names like Mohammed Shami, Rashid Khan, David Miller and Shubman Gill, GT has become a formidable squad. These players have been vital in taking GT to become a successful franchise. Not to mention another notable name, Kane Williamson, is also playing with GT.
Outstanding Match-Finisher
Now that Shahrukh Khan is playing for GT, the squad can utilise his aggressive batting to GT’s advantage. His role as a match-finisher is seen in the match between GT and RR, alongside top finishers like Rahul Tewatia and David Miller.
Spin–Bowling Capabilities
Rashid Khan leads Gujarat’s spin attack alongside his support Noor Ahmad. Rashid is well-known as a significant presence that can overwhelm batters with his bowling. Noor had also showcased his talent in the last season, that he’s just as capable with his wrist-spin bowling.
GT’s Weaknesses
Like the Royals, GT also lost its all-rounder, Hardik Pandya. Although several other players, such as Rahul Tewatia, Vijay Shankar, Azmatullah Omarzai, and Rashid Khan, are capable in all departments, they’re not as effective as Pandya.
Mohammed Shami leads GT’s fast-bowling unit, and his teammates, Mohit Sharma and Umesh Yadav, will be his support. However, the two players have been inconsistent. Umesh didn’t perform well in the 2023 KKR edition. Mohit had only played three matches after they went against Chennai Super Kings in 2023. Not to mention, Mohit was seen struggling throughout the three games.
Gujarat Titan Played Their Strength Well
From how the match ended, we know the last ball was crucial to GT’s winning. It’s not a secret that the Titans have a phenomenal ability to chase challenging targets. Fans faithfully support them in many ways, like through sports betting on cricket at big bookmakers like Stake Sportsbook.
GT showcased this talent throughout the 2024 IPL season, winning 16 out of 22 matches while batting second. They were exceptional at overwhelming their opponents with stunning run chases.
Against Rajasthan Royals, the Titans were given a challenging target of 197 runs to win on a pitch that wasn’t easy to bat. However, Captain Shubman Gill remained unfazed.
Gill revealed that their strategy while chasing is to break down the total into more straightforward intermediate goals. This happened in their match against GT, where they targeted 45 runs in the last three overs.
The strategy converts an intimidating total into more achievable targets, needing just a couple of big hits per over. It relieves pressure and boosts confidence. Gill led by example, playing a magnificent innings of 72 runs.
Even when Gill fell just short of a well-deserved century, the Titans were still firmly in the game, as they have a rock-solid belief in their batting depth. Finishers like Rashin Khan and Rahul Tewatia were masters at snatching victories even when nearly defeated. Remarkably, the Titans have pulled off cashing steep targets in the final over on four occasions out of eight opportunities this season.
Their fearless approach while hunting totals and breaking them into smaller phases gave them advantages. Their multiple batting talents have immense talent in winning a match, even if the team bats second. Due to the Titans’ chasing abilities, they can take control of the floor regardless of the circumstances.
