IPL 2022, GT vs LSG: Gujarat Titans and Lucknow Super Giants look to seal playoffs spot

Both sides have won eight and lost three with LSG's superior net run-rate pushing it ahead of the Titans. On Tuesday, a win for either of the two teams will not only propel them to 18 points but also help cement a spot in the playoff stage.

It has been a fairytale run for both teams. The Lucknow management fought tooth and nail to get KL Rahul on board as skipper before the auction in February. They flushed out Rs 17 crore for the dynamic opening bat. Rahul has returned the faith by not only scoring 451 runs in the tournament so far, including two centuries, but has been astute with his captaincy skills. Then LSG brought in the experience of Gautam Gambhir as team mentor, and it was evident at the auction how much influence the former India opener had in building the squad. The plethora of allrounders Lucknow picked, or the move to opt for pace in the form of Avesh Khan and Dushmantha Chameera, all had Gambhir's stamp.

The allrounders - Deepak Hooda, Krunal Pandya, Marcus Stoinis, Jason Holder, Krishnappa Gowtham - have played their role in the team to perfection. Even spotting a talent like Ayush Badoni and bringing him from Delhi to Lucknow or giving left-arm pacer Mohsin Khan an extended run in the team had Gambhir's fair say in it. Not to forget, getting Quinton de Kock for a steal at the auction was a good move for Lucknow. Ravi Bishnoi was strategically acquired from Punjab Kings, knowing fully that the leg-spinner flourished under Rahul's leadership in the previous season.

Likewise, Gujarat struck a chord and immediately built a fan base when they went for Hardik Pandya to lead their side. They also managed to woo a young and upcoming batsman like Shubman Gill away from Kolkata Knight Riders, but the absolute