Nicholas Pooran is really going to have to prepare himself for a fiery Mohammed Siraj as both the Gujarat Titans and Lucknow Super Giants clash in what promises to be an exciting Saturday contest in the IPL. Matches between two evenly-matched teams such as these only serve to heighten the intensity of a Lucknow summer. Gujarat sits batting on top of the points table, winning four matches consecutively, and even net run rate must be better than theirs-Delhi capitals, who also possess four victories to their name. Showing some steady improvement and coming into the fold now at the fifth spot with six points, the LSG can make a real impact. More often than not, the key battles decide matches and here the buzz is clearly about Pooran vs Siraj-the tournament's top run-getter facing off against one of its finest fast bowlers. In five innings Pooran has made 288 runs, one of which was a low score, thus making his claim to dominance clear: 24 sixes, 25 fours, and a magnificent strike rate of 225. He is innately suited to the position at No.3, with coach Justin Langer and captain Rishabh Pant noting the change in his favour. Siraj will not be easy though. With 10 wickets in five games, he has been in the momentum during the Powerplay. His economy was 7.70, a vastly impressive number, given the fast rates in which the game is being played. Siraj brings an arsenal of skills combined with accuracy as he often bowls Test-match length, exposing batsmen with some initial trouble. Pooran, along with openers Aiden Markram and Mitchell Marsh, will need to exercise caution against Siraj's openings. The Titans have not failed in their duty without Kagiso Rabada on board. Prasidh Krishna has been stellar (8 wickets, ER of 7.05) while left-arm spinner R Sai Kishore even surpassed Rashid Khan (3 wickets, ER of 10) with a tally of 10 wickets with an effective economy rate of 7.25. Ashish Nehra's ability to find odd roles for obscure bowlers like Arshad Khan and Kulwant Khejroliya has made Gujarat one of the most potent bowling attacks in the league. Read also: "The traitor is here": Dhoni's cheeky dig at Bravo breaks the internet Rashid looked good in the previous match against Royals and should he attain his best form Titans might be harder to beat. While Gill and Rishabh Pant are both grade A talents, neither has really lit up the IPL this season. Gill, who scored 890 runs last year, has not really gotten going since taking on the captaincy. He has amassed 148 runs so far at a strike rate of 146, while B Sai Sudharsan (273) and Jos Buttler (203) have borne most of the load in the top order. The boy signed for a whopping ₹27 crore and now finds himself in a slump-his four innings having produced just 19 runs. Should the captains find their rhythm, Saturday's duel in Lucknow could be a treat for the fans.