Defending champions Gujarat Titans (GT) will be in action against the four-time champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the first qualifier of the IPL 2023 playoffs at the MA Chidambaram stadium in Chennai on Tuesday. GT reached the playoffs by topping the table after the league stage after winning 10 of their 14 games. They will be looking to make it to their second final in a row by beating CSK at Chepauk. The Hardik Pandya-led side has been the best team in the tournament so far and should have no trouble in retaining their title if they play to the best of their ability. Throughout the league stage, GT beat CSK, DC, PBKS, KKR, RR, MI, SRH, RCB once and LSG on both occasions.
While they lost to KKR, RR, MI and DC, they bounced back after every loss and immediately reiterated their title-winning credentials. In their final game of the league season in Bangalore, GT broke RCB hearts as the defending champions completed a stunning run chase to keep their winning momentum going.
Sensational Shubman Gill scored a second consecutive ton 104*(52) to power Gujarat Titans to a thrilling win and knock Royal Challengers out of the tournament at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.
Earlier in the same match, Kohli too scored a second consecutive ton to power Royal Challengers Bangalore to 197/5 but it was not enough as GT knocked RCB out and helped Mumbai Indians qualify for the playoffs. Gill is the top run-getter for GT this season, he has scored 680 runs in fourteen innings including two centuries and four half-centuries. Saha has scored 287 runs, while Vijay Shankar and David Miller have scored 287 and 255 runs respectively so far this season. Hardik Pandya has contributed 289 runs so far. Sai Sudharsan has also chipped in with 223 runs in only six innings this season. Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan and Abhinav Manohar have also played some important knocks for the team.
The bowlers have been brilliant all season for GT. Rashid Khan and Mohammed Shami share the honour of the top wicket-takers in the IPL this season with 24 wickets each at an economy of seven. Alzarri Joseph has taken 7 wickets but has lost his place in the line-up to Noor Ahmed in the latter stages of the tournament. Ahmed has been brilliant so far, picking up 13 wickets in ten games at an economy of 7. Mohit Sharma has also picked up 17 wickets in eleven games, but has been expensive in the last couple of games. Josh Little has also chipped in with important wickets for the team.
Vijay Shankar and Abhinav Manohar are expected to return to the side in place of Shanaka and Sai Sudharsan as GT will go with their strongest possible line-up in the qualifier. GT have won all three of their previous games against CSK so far and will look to make it four wins out of four at Chepauk. Sai Sudharsan, Josh Little, Jayant Yadav, Yash Dayal, Dasun Shanaka are all Impact Player options for GT.
GT’s predicted XI vs CSK:
Openers: Shubman Gill, Wriddhiman Saha (wk).
Top and Middle Order: David Miller, Vijay Shankar, Abhinav Manohar.
All-rounders: Hardik Pandya (c), Rashid Khan, Rahul Tewatia.
Bowlers: Mohammed Shami, Noor Ahmed, Mohit Sharma.
Impact Player: Sai Sudharsan, Josh Little, Jayant Yadav, Yash Dayal, Dasun Shanaka are GT’s Impact Player options.
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