GT vs KKR tip-off XI: Mandeep to get another game, Jason Roy likely to play, KKR to bank on spinners

Gujarat has been clinical in their first two outings. The home advantage apart, Gujarat Titans have the players to achieve the goals, and it has been all too visible in the first two games of the season.

Here are a few tip-offs ahead of the match

Mandeep to get another game

Despite his woeful form, Mandeep Singh might get another match for KKR. In the two matches, Mandeep has managed two and a first-ball duck but with Chandrakant Pandit, at helm, the top-order batter might get a longer rope. Mandeep has played 110 matches in the IPL, scoring 1694 runs at an average of 20.91 and a strike rate of over 124 with six fifty-plus scores to his credit. He had an unwanted IPL record to his name as well. Mandeep has the most ducks (15) in the history of the IPL.

Jason for Gurbaaz

KKR have an interesting puzzle to solve before they take the field against Gujarat Titans. With Jason Roy being roped in to give the side a boost following injury to regular captain Shreyas Iyer and the pullout of Bangladesh allrounder Shakib Al Hasan, it remains to be seen how KKR fit the England opener after young Afghanistan wicketkeeper Rahmanullah Gurbaz’s exploits at the top. Gurbaz scored a quick 22 against Punjab King. But the 21-year-old was a revelation against RCB, laying the foundation for a 200-plus total against RCB with a fighting fifty before Shardul Thakur’s pyrotechnics took the team to a massive 204. There is a likelihood that Roy will replace Gurbaz.

Onus on KKR spinners

The Knight Riders will have to show that their 81-run victory on Thursday night was no fluke. Their three spinners have impressed but their Indian-heavy top order has crumbled in both games. The relatively unknown 19-year-old from Delhi was a welcome addition to KKR’s “mystery” spin lineup of Sunil Narine and Varun Chakravarthy, as the trio claimed nine wickets between them to bowl out Royal Challengers Bangalore for 123 in a chase of 205 in their previous outing. On a pitch that aids pace and bounce, KKR would not shy away from bowling the trio in tandem again.

GT vs KKR Predicted XI

GT Predicted XI: Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Shubman Gill, Sai Sudharsan, Hardik Pandya (c), Vijay Shankar, David Miller, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Alzarri Joseph, Yash Dayal, Mohammed Shami

Impact Player – Joshua Little

KKR Predicted XI:Jason Roy, Mandeep Singh, Venkatesh Iyer, Nitish Rana (c), Andre Russell, Rinku Singh, Shardul Thakur, Sunil Narine, Tim Southee, Umesh Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy

Impact Player – Suyash Sharma