IPL: Preview Gujarat Titans vs Chennai Super Kings

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 is all set to begin on March 31, with defending champions Gujarat Titans taking on Chennai Super Kings in the tournament opener at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

With both sides boasting of strong line-ups, the match promises to be a thrilling encounter.

Gujarat Titans, led by the explosive all-rounder Hardik Pandya, will be looking to begin their title defense on a winning note.

One of the openers could be Australian wicketkeeper-batter Matthew Wade, the 35-year-old who has 179 runs to his name in 13 IPL matches.

Wade’s partner will be Shubman Gill who has set the stage on fire in international cricket recently.

With 1900 runs in 74 IPL matches, Gill will have his eyes set on the orange cap

The team has a strong middle-order consisting of some of the best batters in world cricket.

Kane Williamson, who has played 76 IPL matches and amassed 2101 runs, will be a vital cog in Gujarat’s side.

The 32-year-old’s performance in the season opener will be closely watched as he adapts to the new environment.

Another player who could have a breakout season for Gujarat Titans is Abhinav Manohar.

The 28-year-old scored 108 runs in eight matches in the previous edition of the IPL and could prove to be an important player if given consistent opportunities.

Skipper Hardik Pandya, who led Gujarat to their first IPL title in 2022, will once again be a key player for the team.

With 107 IPL matches under his belt, Pandya brings a wealth of experience to the side. The 29-year-old has scored 1963 runs and taken 50 wickets in the tournament so far.

All-rounder Rahul Tewatia, who played a key role in Gujarat’s title-winning campaign in 2022, will once again be expected to perform with both bat and ball. The 29-year-old has 738 runs and 32 wickets in 64 IPL matches.

Gujarat Titans’ bowling attack, led by ace spinner Rashid Khan, is arguably the team’s strongest aspect.

The 24-year-old Afghan has 112 wickets in 92 IPL matches and could be vital in dismissing the Chennai batters.

Sai Kishore, who was roped in for INR 3 crore at the 2022 IPL auctions, can be highly impactful with the ball and decent with the bat. The left-arm spinner has six wickets in five IPL matches so far.

Another player who could make a significant impact for Gujarat Titans is Alzarri Joseph.

The 25-year-old pacer has 13 wickets in 12 IPL matches and was acquired by Gujarat at the 2022 mega auctions.

Yash Dayal, who has 11 wickets in nine IPL matches, is yet another pacer who could bolster Gujarat’s pace attack.

The spearhead of Gujarat’s bowling attack, star Indian pacer Mohammed Shami, will once again be expected to deliver a fabulous performance in the season opener against CSK.

Shami has 99 wickets in 93 IPL matches and will be keen on helping Gujarat grab their first win of the tournament.

Chennai Super Kings, on the other hand, will be looking to start the tournament on a positive note after a disappointing campaign in 2022. The team boasts of a strong batting line-up consisting of the likes of Faf du Plessis, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Moeen Ali, and Ambati Rayudu.

The team’s bowling attack, led by the experienced Dwayne Bravo, also looks formidable with the likes of Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar, and Imran Tahir in the mix.

The last encounter between the two sides saw Gujarat Titans beat Chennai Super Kings by 7 wickets in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022.

Squads

Chennai Super Kings

MS Dhoni (c), Devon Conway, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ambati Rayudu, Subhranshu Senapati, Moeen Ali, Shivam Dube, Rajvardhan Hangargekar, Dwaine Pretorius, Mitchell Santner, Ravindra Jadeja, Tushar Deshpande, Mukesh Chowdhary, Matheesha Pathirana, Simarjeet Singh, Deepak Chahar, Prashant Solanki, Maheesh Theekshana, Ajinkya Rahane, Ben Stokes, Shaik Rasheed, Nishant Sidhu, Sisanda Magala, Ajay Mandal, Bhagath Verma

Gujarat Titans

Hardik Pandya (c), Shubman Gill, David Miller, Abhinav Manohar, Sai Sudharsan, Wriddhiman Saha, Matthew Wade, Rashid Khan, Rahul Tewatia, Vijay Shankar, Mohammed Shami, Alzarri Joseph, Yash Dayal, Pradeep Sangwan, Darshan Nalkande, Jayant Yadav, R Sai Kishore, Noor Ahmad, Kane Williamson, Odean Smith, KS Bharat, Shivam Mavi, Urvil Patel, Josh Little, Mohit Sharma

The season opener between Gujarat Titans and Chennai Super Kings is expected to be a high-scoring affair with both teams possessing strong batting and bowling line-ups