IPL 2022, LSG vs GT: 3 player battles to watch out for

Latest entrants Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and Gujarat Titans (GT) will lock horns for the first time in IPL 2022 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Monday (March 28).

Both KL Rahul and Hardik Pandya, new skippers from their respective franchises, will head into the contest with knowledge of how the season opener between Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) unfolded.

While Lucknow seem an absolute powerhouse on paper, Gujarat will look to pull their weight to make it a contest in Mumbai. Ahead of the marquee matchup between the two IPL teams, we take a look at the three player battles to watch out for.

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#1 KL Rahul vs Rashid Khan headline key IPL 2022 clash

Rashid Khan has dismissed KL Rahul thrice in the IPL and come IPL 2022, the Afghan spinner will look to his add to his impressive record against the Lucknow captain. Rahul, meanwhile, is heading into the IPL season on the back of two consecutive 600-pus-run seasons.

Rashid had a rather sub-par IPL by his own admission, picking up 18 wickets in IPL 2022, a number he will look to do better with his new franchise.

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#2 Shubman Gill vs Avesh Khan

Shubman Gill was one of the draft picks alongside Rashid Khan and Hardik Pandya ahead of IPL 2022 and the opening bat will face-off against an impressive Avesh Khan, who had a stellar IPL 2021 campaign.

He bagged 24 wickets last season, but was not retained by the Delhi Capitals (DC). The seamer will be keen to prove a point and only time will tell if he can have a similar run.

Gill was productive in the IPL last season, notching up 478 runs and much of the side's opening hinges on the Punjab batter's ability to bat deep.

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#3 Hardik Pandya vs Ravi Bishnoi

Hardik Pandya as skipper had more questions than answers ahead of IPL 2022 and that would mean the all-rounder proving a point. He came into his own in Mumbai Indians' famed batting Mumbai unit and now has a chance to lead a side in the IPL.

His injury-riddled last few years has seen him play more as a batter than an all-rounder. Whether the story of the season will be the same is unknown, but his ability to change games as a lower-order batter makes him a dangerous customer.

Ravi Bishnoi, meanwhile, was one of Lucknow's draft picks ahead of the auction last month. He claimed 12 wickets in IPL 2021 at a jaw-dropping economy rate of 6.34. The "brain versus" brawn contest will be on display when these two square off.