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After two days of nonstop entertainment in the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL), the Rajasthan Royals (RR) and the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) will kick off a high-profile double-header Sunday.
LSG finished third during IPL 2023 and made the playoffs ahead of RR, who ended a disappointing fifth. Both teams have bolstered their rosters and were interestingly involved in a trade ahead of the new campaign.
Devdutt Padikkal headed from the Royals to the Super Giants in exchange for Avesh Khan, and the latter's signing has turned out to be a boon for his side. RR have lost Prasidh Krishna, and Avesh's addition means that they have some quality domestic pace talent to fall back on.
Surprisingly, the Royals weren't in great form at home in Jaipur during IPL 2023, managing only one win in five attempts. They didn't have a great season overall, with the likes of Jos Buttler struggling to strike form, so that might be an aberration.
As far as the head-to-head record goes, RR have beaten LSG in two of their three meetings, and all three encounters have been rather tight. The two teams are evenly matched, so an enticing affair should be on the cards.
Which team can start the new campaign with two points?
IPL 2024, RR vs LSG: Sanju Samson and KL Rahul face off in Jaipur
RR have arguably the best opening combination in the IPL in the form of Buttler and Yashasvi Jaiswal. And the pertinent question is - do LSG have enough firepower with the new ball to separate the partnership early and pick up a couple of wickets in the powerplay?
It's a question that has no definitive answer. Mohsin Khan, Yash Thakur and Shivam Mavi are the primary domestic pace options, with either Shamar Joseph or Naveen-ul-Haq set to be the premier overseas quick. The spinners, barring Ravi Bishnoi, aren't out-and-out wicket-takers either.
More importantly, this time around, the Royals have some lower-order might. Rovman Powell and Shubham Dubey were their big acquisitions at the auction, while Riyan Parag and Dhruv Jurel come into IPL 2024 with plenty of confidence under their belt.
LSG, in contrast, have arguably more questions than answers. Where will KL Rahul bat? Will a top three that features Quinton de Kock and Devdutt Padikkal work? Can the pace attack produce enough threat without Avesh?
The Super Giants have a few players who can win any game on their day. Nicholas Pooran is one of them, and the conditions in Jaipur could unleash the best version of the dynamic West Indian.
That said, though, RR seem to be the better unit on paper. It's tough to predict a winner so early in the competition, when several things are still up in the air. But based on how the two teams are supposed to shape up, the home team could fare better.
Prediction: RR to win Match 4 of IPL 2024.
