3 key focus areas for Rajasthan Royals ahead of IPL 2022 final vs Gujarat Titans

The Rajasthan Royals (RR) will meet the Gujarat Titans (GT) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday (May 29). The two sides had earlier clashed in Qualifier 1, which GT won by seven wickets.

Batting first, Rajasthan did well to post a competitive total of 188/6 as Jos Buttler struck 89 off 56. However, the bowlers had no answers to the assault launched by David Miller (68* off 38) and GT skipper Hardik Pandya (40* off 27) as the chasing side eased to victory.

Having finished second in the IPL 2022 points table, RR got another shot at the final and grabbed the opportunity, thumping the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) by seven wickets in Qualifier 2.

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IPL 2022 final: 3 things for RR to consider

While Rajasthan would have gained some confidence following their impressive triumph over RCB, Gujarat will go into the final with the psychological edge. Before Qualifier 1, they had defeated RR by 37 runs in the league clash as well. Ahead of the IPL 2022 final, we analyze three key areas RR needs to focus on.

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#1 Overdependence on Jos Buttler

Rajasthan Royals opener Jos Buttler looks set to win the Orange Cap

Strange as it may sound, Jos Buttler’s exceptional form has been both a boon and a bane for the franchise. When he has scored big, he has dominated the innings almost single-handedly.

His supreme performances have led RR to some comprehensive victories. The case was the same in Qualifier 2, where Buttler destroyed RCB by clobbering 106* off 60 in a chase of 158.

Every action, though, has an equal and opposite reaction. Similarly, with Buttler, when he has been on top, he has made life way too easy for the team. But, on days when he has failed, Rajasthan have often been found out.

Buttler lost his rhythm in the second half of the league stage and it wasn’t a coincidence that RR were defeated in three of their last six league games.

Rajasthan’s batting, in a nutshell, has been about Buttler’s brilliance and Shimron Hetmyer’s incredible finishing. Of course, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Devdutt Padikkal have made a couple of decent contributions. But, on the big day and on the grand stage, Gujarat will know that if they can dismiss Buttler cheaply, this RR batting line-up can be put under pressure.

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#2 Sanju Samson’s habit of throwing it away

Sanju Samson’s lack of application has been exasperating

444 runs in 16 matches at a strike rate of 147.50 can be considered reasonably good numbers. In fact, RR skipper Sanju Samson is at No. 9 in the list of top run-getters in IPL 2022.

However, as the cliche goes, numbers don’t always tell the complete story. In Samson’s case as well, there is more to his stats that is worrying, apart from the fact that he has crossed fifty only twice.

It is his irreverent mode of dismissals that is hugely concerning for RR. The latest sample was on display in Qualifier 2 against RCB. Samson charged down the track to his nemesis Wanindu Hasaranga and was completely stranded, ending up being stumped in rather embarrassing fashion.

This was the sixth time he had fallen to the leggie in seven T20 innings and the third time in IPL 2022.

Samson’s dismissals have had nothing to do with his form. Call it lapse of concentration or just poor temperament. The keeper-batter’s manner of getting out in Qualifier 2, in a way, vindicated the Indian selectors' decision to drop him from the T20I squad for the home series against South Africa.

Luckily for RR, they haven’t had to pay a heavy price for their skipper’s irresponsible acts yet. An error in the IPL 2022 final, though, might prove costly.

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#3 Ashwin and Boult’s unpredictability

Ravichandran Ashwin will need to be on top of his game

RR’s bowling attack has been rated one of the best in the competition and deservedly so. Left arm-pacer Trent Boult and off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin have played their role in the franchise’s success.

But, unlike someone like Yuzvendra Chahal, who has been the team’s standout bowler, Boult and Ashwin have a tendency to go completely off the boil in some matches. It has got nothing to do with their form or quality. But this unpredictability just seems to be a part of their game in this unpredictable format.

If we look at the numbers of the two bowlers in IPL 2022, Boult has 15 wickets in as many matches at an economy rate of 8.24. As for Ashwin, he has claimed 12 scalps in 16 games at an economy of 7.35. The stats are not extraordinary but acceptable.

There have been instances when both have been unplayable, but there have also been games where they have been taken apart. RR will be hoping that the IPL 2022 final doesn’t turn out to be one of those off days for either of them.