IPL 2024 GT vs PBKS Preview - Titans look to maintain home dominance

Key match stats

Pitch Stats – Narendra Modi Stadium IPL records

Pitch stats from the 10 most recent IPL matches played at the Narendra Modi Stadium

Team form GT vs PBKS
GT: WLW
PBKS: WLL

Recent meetings: IPL 2023 - GT won by 6 wickets

Weather

General Forecast: Overcast, Dry
Chance of dew: Low

Preview GT vs PBKS

Gujarat Titans completed a comfortable win over SRH last time out and will have their eyes on a 3rd victory of the season at home to a PBKS side that is exhibiting familiar weaknesses.

As strange as it might seem for a team that has appeared in 2 finals in 2 years, GT enter the 2024 tournament flying a little bit under the radar as a result of the players that they lost in the close season. What they have done though is maintained a core of backroom staff and coaches which they will hope can foster a sense of identity regardless of playing personnel changes, something that franchises like CSK have been very good at over the years too.

The Titans reverted to their dual Afghan spin attack for the win against the Sunrisers with Noor Ahmed and Rashid Khan effectively limiting the scoring during the middle overs as well as taking the key wickets of Travis Head and Heinrich Klaasen. I would imagine that against this PBKS team, they will opt for a similar ploy especially having seen how much the Punjab middle order struggled against another left-arm wrist spinner in Kuldeep Yadav earlier in the season (Kuldeep 4 overs, 2 for 20 vs PBKS).

As for PBKS, they got themselves in a decent position to chase LSG's total of 199 with Bairstow and Dhawan putting on 102 inside 12 overs for the opening wicket but couldn't get the necessary momentum into the close of their innings and ultimately fell well short.

Things weren't helped by a hamstring injury to Liam Livingstone who must now be a doubt for this match if not beyond. PBKS do have the likes of Rilee Roussow to call upon although his recent record against wrist-spin is concern if he has to face up to 8 overs of it against this opposition.

In fact, scoring runs at the back end of the innings has been a problem for Punjab for a while. In previous seasons, that's often been a result of them going ultra-agressive from the start and not leaving themselves with wickets in the bank later on. This year, their hitters just aren't coming off and as we'll examine later in the blog, they face a very effective death overs attack in Gujarat Titans.

If they are likely to struggle in the middle against 8 overs of spin and then at the death too then it suggests that PBKS will need to get ahead early in this match whether with bat or ball in order to stand any chance of victory.

They also face a GT side who know how to win at this ground. The Titans have won 5 of their last 6 games at the Narendra Modi Stadium, the only defeat coming in that thrilling final last year against CSK. By contrast, Punjab have won 1 out of 4 of the matches they've played in Ahmedabad in the past.

GT vs PBKS head to head

PBKS bowling vs GT batting

It'd be fair to say that the GT batting hasn't quite clicked yet. They are the only side in the tournament to date not to pass the 170 mark in an innings and while their bowling remains effective, they'll still need to be able to put above average scores on the board if they hope to return to the playoffs for a 3rd consecutive year.

All Saha dismissals vs Rabada in T20 cricket

Rabada has dismissed Saha in the powerplay on the last 3 occassions they've met and has adopted a familiar tactic against the GT opener of keeping a tight line on off-stump and generally bowling back of a length.

As noted in our preview of GT's match against SRH, Shubman Gill has a very good record against left-arm pace (now averaging over 97 against that form of bowling) while Saha similarly has a preference for it.

His average against left-arm fast medium bowling jumps 14 points compared to against right-arm fast medium bowling (ave 24.6) while his strike rate also improves (129 vs right-arm fast medium). Given that 61% of PBKS' powerplay overs this season have been bowled by Arshdeep and Sam Curran then that suggests a positive match up for the GT openers to exploit if Punjab don't adapt their tactics.

Saha T20 records vs left-arm fast-medium bowling

GT's middle and lower order has been a real strength in their first 2 seasons of the IPL but again, they've not quite hit their straps so far in IPL 2024.

However, they come up against a PBKS side who have struggled to contain batsmen at the death in all 3 of their matches so far. Abishek Porel for DC, Dinesh Karthik for RCB and Krunal Pandya for LSG have all accelerated the scoring in the final overs against this PBKS attack leaving them with an economy rate at the death of 11.6 an over.

Miller T20 head to head vs Harshal Patel

Miller has finished well against Arshdeep Singh (S/R 190) in the past and also has a favourable match-up against Harshal Patel.

GT bowling vs PBKS batting

As alluded to above, PBKS need a strong start to their innings in order to over come some of their weaknesses in the middle and lower order. Umesh Yadav has no wicket for 61 from the 6 powerplay overs he's bowled so far this season and GT are certainly missing the penetration of Mohammed Shami.

Bairstow T20 head to head vs Umesh Yadav

Both PBKS openers also have a very good record against the Indian pace man in T20 cricket. Shikhar averages over 100 against Umesh while Bairstow has been able to score freely in previous encounters and will look to do likewise today.

We've seen Rashid Khan bowl fairly frequently in the powerplay for GT since the start of last season, often because they have the double wrist-spin option. While I still question that tactic (he's only taken 2 wickets in 15 PP overs since the start of IPL 2023 season), there is perhaps an argument for using him early in this game to get the key wicket of Dhawan.

Dhawan T20 head to head vs Rashid Khan

Mohit Sharma had an incredible IPL 2023 season, striking at a wicket every 9.8 balls and finishing just one victim shy of eventual purple cap winner Mohammed Shami, despite playing 3 fewer games than his teammate. That form appears to have continued into the 2024 season where he's helped GT concede at under 9 an over at the death so far.

Mohit Sharma death bowling stats IPL 2024

Nalkande came into the side to help close the innings against SRH and performed very well too. If GT can start picking up wickets in the powerplay again and maintain a 6 man attack then they look a well balanced outfit with lots of options for Shubman Gill to select from.