IPL 2022 Final, GT vs RR: Match Preview - Eyes on the prize as Royals step out to create history

It all comes down to this. One more step to take, one more game to play, one more Halla Bol to glory.

It’s been a difficult time for all of us at the Royals coming into IPL 2022 - having tragically lost our first captain, a mentor, a leader and a dear friend earlier this year. Shane Warne wasn’t just the man who led an unfancied Rajasthan Royals to become the first IPL champions. He was someone who spotted talent much before the world took notice, and he nurtured it with his unmatched foresight and a style of his own. Warnie’s childlike exuberance, his love for the game, the passion that he brought with him every single day, and most importantly, his inspiring words continue to leave footprints of his lasting legacy in the Royals family. 14 years after Warne first created IPL history at Mumbai’s DY Patil Stadium, Sanju Samson and his troops will step out to rewrite it - this time against first-time finalists Gujarat Titans - in front of a record crowd at one of the biggest grounds in the world. And when they do, they know they will have a proud Aussie cheering them on from above. He was always around, he will always be. The stage is set. The Royals are ready to rumble. It’s time for Halla Bol - one last time this season!

“Come down from the high, relax, and refocus when the time comes.”

Heads down and back to work, one final time. 💪💗 #RoyalsFamily | #HallaBol | #RRvRCB | @KumarSanga2 pic.twitter.com/gRagqniQnm
— Rajasthan Royals (@rajasthanroyals) May 28, 2022

Match Details

IPL 2022 Final: Gujarat Titans vs Rajasthan Royals - 29th May, 2022

Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad

8:00 PM

The Royals will be riding high on momentum after their dominating victory in Qualifier 2 that came just two nights ago at the same venue. Sanju won the toss and elected to bowl, and our pacers used a sticky surface to dismantle RCB’s batting line-up with some testing spells. Then came our opening pair of Yashasvi Jaiswal and Jos Buttler, giving us the start we needed to seal a comprehensive win inside the 19th over. As for GT, they’ll be playing their first-ever IPL game at this ground.

Since IPL 2021, the average first-innings score across six matches has been 158, with captains opting to chase in each of them. Fast bowlers continue to enjoy considerable success here, as witnessed in the previous clash. If the wicket remains similar, expect the quicks to feast on the batters, at least in the first innings.

Player battle to watch

Jos Buttler vs GT pacers

The explosive Jos Buttler has a strike rate of 140 or more against every fast bowler in the GT side. He has been particularly at his best against their captain, Hardik Pandya. In eight T20 innings against him, Jos has scored 80 runs in 47 balls at a strike rate of 170. The Englishman is yet to lose his wicket to any of Gujarat’s pacers and has scored fifties in both matches against the team this season. With his red-hot form on one side, and with Hardik back to full-time bowling, this one promises to be a riveting match-up among others!

Player	Year	Innings	Runs	Hundreds
Virat Kohli	2016	16	973	4
David Warner	2016	17	848	0
Jos Buttler	2022	16	824*	4

With 848 runs in the season so far, Jos is third on the list of batters with the most runs in a single season and has already scored the most runs by any batter in the IPL playoffs. He has also equalled Virat Kohli’s record of the most centuries in a season. With one more innings to go, the opener could well surpass both Kohli and Warner and finish the season on a high.

Team News

The decision to stick with an unchanged Playing XI worked well, as the Royals ticked every box in their must-win clash against RCB. It’ll be interesting to see whether the team management decides to make tactical changes considering the opponent, as has been the strategy this season, or retains a winning combination. Nevertheless, the Royals have a well-balanced unit with designated roles for every player across all three departments. There’s no official news of injury from the camp as of now.

Milestone Watch