CSK vs GT pits two champion franchises against each other in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 season. The match could be the final act of Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain MS Dhoni’s competitive cricket career. A fifth IPL crown could be a fitting farewell for the legendary cricketer.
Gujarat Titans (GT) will aim to become the third franchise to win back-to-back trophies in IPL. The Hardik Pandya-led side thrashed Mumbai Indians by 62 runs in Qualifier 2 to book a place in the title clash.
Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium will host the IPL final on Sunday at 7:30 PM.
Chennai Super Kings
Devon Conway and Ruturaj Gaikwad will be keen to do what they do best. The opening batting pair has scored close to 1200 runs between them. Ajinkya Rahane and Shivam Dube can control proceedings in the middle overs if the opening batting pair can provide a perfect start. Well-experienced Ambati Rayudu, Moeen Ali, Ravindra Jadeja, and MS Dhoni are dangerous in the final overs.
Deepak Chahar and Matheesh Pathirana are two players to watch out for CSK in the bowling unit. The Indian pacer has been outstanding since his return from injury. He has been prolific in the powerplay. Meanwhile, Pathirana bowls in the death overs and has done an excellent job so far.
The spin duo Ravindra Jadeja and Maheesh Theekshana were excellent in winning over GT in Qualifier 1. However, they will have a difficult task on a batting-friendly track in Ahmedabad. Jadeja is a wicket away from reaching 20 wickets in an IPL season for the first time.
Gujarat Titans
GT has Shubman Gill, which itself makes them a favorite to win the title. The 23-year-old, who hit three centuries in GT’s last four fixtures, will want to play another stellar knock and steer his side to a second successive title. Wriddhiman Saha, Sai Sudharsan, Hardik Pandya, David Miller, and Rahul Tewatia have done well this season. In Rashid Khan, GT has another pinch-hitter in their ranks.
The well-oiled GT bowling attack is expected to give CSK batters a tough time. Mohammed Shami, who leads the Purple Cap race with 28 wickets, will be keen to make early inroads, while Rashid Khan and Noor Ahmad will be hoping to find some purchase in the batting-friendly track. Mohit Sharma will have to play a crucial role as he has to contain the batters in the death overs and take wickets. Hardik, too, could bowl an over or two in the powerplay.
CSK vs GT Head-to-Head
GT has won three of the four outings against CSK in IPL. The defending champions grabbed a comfortable five-wicket win over the four-time winners the last time both teams played at Narendra Modi Stadium.
CSK vs GT Last Three Meetings
CSK & GT IPL 2023 Stats
- Top Run-scorer: Devon Conway – 625 runs (CSK)L; Shubman Gill – 851 runs (GT)
- Most Wickets: Tushar Deshpande – 21 wickets (CSK); Mohammed Shami – 28 wickets (GT)
- Highest Sixes: Shivam Dube – 33 sixes (CSK); Shubman Gill – 33 sixes (GT)
CSK vs GT – Who Will Win?
The IPL 2023 final will be a battle between two teams who have played outstanding cricket throughout the season. GT is the favorite to win a second IPL crown because of the home advantage and a terrific bowling unit. But CSK is unpredictable, and the franchise has players who can win matches on their own. Whoever wins, a cracking final is on the cards.