IPL debutants find instant success

Gujarat Titans and Lucknow Super Giants have all but sealed their berths in the playoffs. Here's why they have clicked

LUCKNOW SUPER GIANTS

Rahul leads from the front

With two centuries already this season, Rahul is in top form with the bat. With a strong squad at his disposal, he is also showing that the struggles during his Punjab stint were more a result of not having the players required to win T20 matches consistently

Gambhir's mentorship

From their picks at the auction to the backing of young Indian players, Gambhir's imprint on Lucknow is c .

His experience of leading KKR to two titles as well as his shrewd understanding of the game are key factors behind Lucknow's solid run

Domestic players show their worth

Ayush Badoni's toil to get chances for the Delhi state team is well known. Mohsin Khan, too, was not on the radar of most IPL teams, judging by Lucknow snapping him up for j st ₹20 lakh. But they have shown their worth and provided evidence of the depth of talent in India

GUJARAT TITANS Hardik excels as skipper

At the start of the season, there might have been doubts over Hardik's ability to lead given his limited captaincy experience. He also had to ensure that his own form was up to scratch. He has allayed any concerns emphatically. In eight games, he has scored 308 runs at an average of 51.33 and assumed greater responsibility

Coach Nehra's backing

Ashish Nehra had never been the head coach of a franchise earlier, but he has struck a chord with his players. He must be relishing the performances of left-arm pacer Yash Dayal, who Titans backed at the auction with a bid of ₹3.2 crore

Indians to the fore

Whether it is Rahul Tewatia (L) finishing games or the likes of Abhinav Manohar playing useful cameos, the second rung of Indian players have stepped up. As we have seen from previous seasons, it is the strength of the Indian contingent that decides how a team fares