"Get him out early and you are on your way to victory" - Brad Hogg believes Jos Buttler against Mohammad Shami will be a crucial match-up in IPL 2022 Qualifier 1

Former Australian spinner Brad Hogg feels that Mohammad Shami will be instrumental if the Gujarat Titans (GT) wish to get rid of Jos Buttler early on in the upcoming IPL 2022 playoffs encounter.

The Englishman is the leading run-scorer of the tournament and could be a threat on a fresh surface despite not looking in good touch of late.

Buttler has come up against Shami on six occasions in the shortest format of the game. The wicket-keeper has scored 40 runs in 30 deliveries against the right-arm pacer and lost his wicket once.

In the previous meeting between the two sides, Jos Buttler was undone by a well-disguised slow yorker by Lockie Ferguson.

Opining that Pandya should attack Buttler from the word go with an aggressive field, Hogg said on his YouTube channel:

"Shami against Buttler, two slips in place with the ball swinging away, get him out early and you are on your way to victory. Ashwin will come in next to protect Samson from the extra pace. Get him out as well and suddenly they will be two down."

Ashwin has been sent up the order on multiple occasions over the course of the tournament. The all-rounder has performed relatively well in the newfound position and is undergoing his best-ever season with the bat after scoring his maiden IPL fifty.

Catch the next match on the IPL timetable 2022 here.

"Hetmyer is one of the dominant players in the death overs" - Brad Hogg

A major benefactor behind RR's success this season has been Shimron Hetmyer's pinch hitting in the death overs. The Caribbean ace is closing in on the 300-run mark for the season with an exceptional strike rate of 167.

He was not a part of their penultimate league game against LSG after leaving for Guyana to attend the birth of his child. He made it back in time to be included in the playing XI for their final league match.

Naming Rashid Khan as the best option against the flamboyant left-handed batter, Hogg said:

"Hetmyer is one of the dominant players in the death overs. I think Rashid Khan with his variations will be perfect. Extra bounce and turn on a new wicket will help Rashid and he will have his man."

RR will take on GT in the IPL 2022 Qualifier 1 at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Tuesday, May 24.