The 2022 IPL season culminates on Sunday with Gujarat Titans facing Rajasthan Royals in the final from Ahmedabad. Gujarat, on account of finishing first in the table, faced Rajasthan, who finished second, in the first qualifier in Kolkata.
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A finishing masterclass from David Miller ensured Gujarat comfortably overhauled a tricky target of 189 in seaming conditions at Eden Gardens. How will the repeat fixture pan out on the big stage?
According to Sportsbook, this is a pick'em matchup, with odds of -110 for both teams.
IPL Finals Odds
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| Gujarat Titans | -110 |
| Rajasthan Royals | -110 |
Odds as of May 28 at Sportsbook
Gujarat Titans (-110)
Gujarat are poorly represented in the top batting and bowling charts for this season. That is as good a sign as any of a team that does not rely on individual performances.
They have built a largely successful season on a decent, maybe even overachieving, top order that includes Wriddhiman Saha and Shubman Gill. In 10 matches, Saha has scored 312 runs at an average of 34.66. His Sportsbook partner Gill has scored 438 runs at an average of 31.28.
But Gujarat’s mainstay has been David Miller, who went unsold in the first round of the auction earlier this year. He has scored 449 runs, just four short of the team’s leading scorer Hardik Pandya, at an average of 64.14. Impressively, these runs have been scored at a strike rate of 141.19.
"It's about making sure, especially in T20 cricket, I impose myself," Miller said. "I am looking to score every ball, but when there is a bad ball, I am at least in a good position to put it away for four or six. Obviously, it then creates pressure on the bowler as opposed to the bowler settling in. That's one of the things mentally I have tried to improve."
Among these four batsmen, Gujarat have more or less all bases covered across the phases of T20 innings. Rahul Tewatia has also flourished as a finisher this season, while Matthew Wade is due.
The big stage is not new to him as he showed with stellar innings in the semifinal of the T20 World Cup against Pakistan in Dubai last year.
From a bowling standpoint, Gujarat have relied heavily on Mohammad Shami through the Sportsbook and Rashid Khan in the second half of the innings. Together, they have combined for 37 wickets this season at similar averages (23.94 for Shami and 22.38 for Rashid).
Rajasthan Royals (-110)
Buttler scored his fourth century of the season in the second qualifier against Royal Challengers Bangalore to guide Rajasthan Royals to just their second IPL final.
The last time they made the final was back in a victorious run in the first edition of the IPL, back in 2008 under the masterful tutelage of Shane Warne.
Buttler is at the top of the batting charts with 824 runs at a startling average of 58.85 and a strike rate of 151.47. All those numbers are stunning because there is a volume of runs on a consistent basis at a rate of scoring that is hard to maintain over such a long season.
You would think that these numbers are unsustainable for the duration of 16 matches, but discount Buttler at your own peril.
"I think some days I was a bit slow to start with,” Buttler said. “I wish it was never like that. I wish you can play fast all the time, but certain times I've had it tough and maybe a younger version of myself would've just gone for a big shot and got out."
The bowling has been led by a resurgent season from leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal, who is jointly atop the wicket-taking charts with 26 wickets at an average of 19.50 and an economy rate of 7.92.
He has been used sparingly in the first half of the innings by captain Sanju Samson, which makes his numbers even more laudable.
In the second qualifier, on Friday, he used a shorter length to ensure that batsmen didn’t have the length to hit the ball straight with longer square boundaries. His bowling acumen has been carefully mastered in a format that is becoming increasingly one-sided towards batsmen.
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There are several factors to consider while making this decision. The IPL final odds are not going to change ahead of the start of the match.
Firstly, Gujarat have had a few additional days of rest, which will make a big difference to having the requisite rest ahead of a final. Rajasthan, however, have already played one match in Ahmedabad, which could help them understand the conditions, especially underfoot, much quicker.
Gujarat have a lot more bases covered, including a guaranteed spell of frugal bowling from Rashid Khan. Their batting has fired during the tough moments of the season. And their captain Pandya is also chipping in with the ball. And so, Gujarat would be our bet to win the IPL final.
