IPL 2024, RR vs GT Strategic Corner - Gujarat Titans' Trap For Jos Buttler

Rashid Khan and Noor Ahmad will be crucial against Jos Buttler [AP Photos]Rashid Khan and Noor Ahmad will be crucial against Jos Buttler [AP Photos]

The Gujarat Titans are all set to take the field against the Rajasthan Royals in the 24th match of the IPL. This match will be played on April 10th at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium. 

The Gujarat Titans, determined to bounce back after two consecutive defeats, are up against a formidable opponent- the Rajasthan Royals. The Royals have been on a winning streak, triumphing in all four matches at the start of the tournament. Key players like Riyan Parag and Yuzvendra Chahal have been delivering consistent performances, while others have stepped up in crucial moments, contributing to the team's success. The return of Jos Buttler to form could prove to be a significant hurdle for the Titans. 

The English opener started the tournament moderately, scoring just 35 runs in the first three innings. However, while chasing a target against the Royal Challenger Bengaluru, a brilliant century in the previous outing meant that he regained a bit of his touch. Buttler can give his team a rollicking start and an early advantage in the game. That is precisely what the Titans would like to avoid by stopping him. Here is how GT can plan against Rajasthan Royals. 


GT's plan against Jos Buttler

Before devising a plan against Buttler let us look at his records against the various bowlers for GT. 

Bowler
Runs
Balls
Dismissal
Strike Rate
Balls Per Dismissal
Spencer Johnson14025.0-
Umesh Yadav96561171.4256
Mohit Sharma48362133.3318
Rashid Khan 5072469.4018
Noor Ahmad1060166.66-

A look at the table shows us that Jos Buttler has literally struggled against Rashid Khan. Besides Rashid, Mohit Sharma has dismissed him a couple of times. But if only IPL matches are considered, Buttler has a strike rate of over 200 against Mohit, even though he has dismissed him every 15 balls. Out of these bowlers, he has not faced enough against Spencer Johnson and Noor Ahmad. So let us check his record against left-arm pacers and left-arm wrist spinners. 

Bowler Type
Runs
Balls
Strike Rate
Dismissals
Balls per dismissal
Left-arm Pacers198120165430
Left-arm wrist spinners195131148.85
4
33

Jos Buttler has a good record against left-arm pacers and wrist spinners. But one thing is to be kept in mind: in IPL 2024, he faced only one delivery against left-arm wrist spinners and was dismissed. Thus, the three main bowlers in GT's plan would be - Rashid Khan, Mohit Sharma, and Noor Ahmad. 


Shubman Gill has to be clever about using Mohit Sharma among these two spinners. As Buttler would be opening the innings, it is expected that Umesh Yadav and Spencer Johnson will be bowling to Buttler at the start. In this case, the bowlers need to be used so that Umesh gets less exposed against Buttler, as the English batter have the upper hand in this match-up. A surprise move could be starting with Rashid Khan with the new ball.