Having survived rollercoaster rides, teams that have made it this far make for a rather unfamiliar mix. An IPL Top-4 with both Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings missing is a rare enough occurrence, and two debutants have added to the intrigue by qualifying for the playoffs ahead of more illustrious contenders.

Gujarat Titans and Lucknow Super Giants, the new franchisees, were actually headed for the coveted Qualifier-1 clash of Chapter 2022 before Rajasthan Royals butted in to push LSG to the next rung on the league ladder.