IPL 2022: Murali Kartik Lauds Gujarat Titans, Lucknow Super Giants For Thier Auction Strategies

Former Indian spin bowler Murali Kartik lauded the efforts of IPL debutants Gujarat Titans and Lucknow Super Giants for their terrific run in the IPL 2022.

As the cash-rich league approaches the business end toward the knockout stage, the four teams that made the cut are Gujarat Titans, Rajasthan Royals Lucknow Super Giants and Royal Challengers Bangalore.

Gujarat Titans, Lucknow Super Giants qualify for knockout stage in maiden IPL season

Gujarat and Lucknow were the first two teams to secure their spots in the IPL 2022 playoffs as both the teams have remained on the top two positions for the major part of the league stage. Only the superior NRR of Rajasthan Royals separates the two IPL entrants on the table.

Interestingly, both teams have been led by two close friends – KL Rahul and Hardik Pandya – who had their own shares of banter on the pitch.

The Hardik Pandya-led Titans will take on the Royals in the Qualifier 1 fixture on Tuesday (May 24) at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.

LSG will clash against Royal Challengers Bangalore at the same venue on May 25 (Wednesday).

They have handled the post before: Murali Kartik

Kartik, who played 56 IPL games for KKR, PWI and RCB, appreciated the two new teams for managing the pressure in their first season itself. Kartik also mentioned about the auction strategy of the two teams.

“They are the new boys, but the players and people involved have been present for a long time. They have handled the post before. The auction plays a very important role and Gujarat Titans, Lucknow Super Giants and Rajasthan Royals did very well there.

“At the end of the day, the decisions taken on the auction day are the most important for team selection,” Kartik said in a live session on ShareChat Audio Chat Rooms.

Apart from Rajasthan Royals, all other three teams will vie for their maiden IPL trophy. Royals won the inaugural edition in 2008 under Shane Warne and qualified for the playoffs for the first time since 2018.

Also Read: GT vs RR: Mentality Of Playing Big Matches Will Help Hardik Pandya – Parthiv Patel Confidenct About GT’s Chances In Qualifier 1