GT vs CSK in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 Qualifier 1 pits two mentality monsters against each other. Gujarat Titans (GT) reached the playoffs for a second consecutive season after winning ten of their 14 fixtures. Four-time IPL winners Chennai Super Kings (CSK), too, have had an excellent campaign so far. MS Dhoni-led will be eyeing a record tenth IPL final.
Chennai’s Chidambaram Stadium, CSK’s home ground, will host Qualifier 1 on Tuesday at 7:30 PM.
GT vs CSK | Preview | Team Analysis & Squad Details
Let’s closely examine GT vs CSK – team analysis, squad, head-to-head record, and prediction.
Gujarat Titans (GT)
Led by flamboyant Shubman Gill, the GT batting unit has its task cut out on a Chepauk pitch that offers plenty of assistance to slow bowlers. The GT openers – Gill and Wriddhiman Saha – have a good record in the powerplay. All-rounders Vijay Shankar and Hardik Pandya can take the attack to the bowlers in middle overs. Also, in David Miller and Rahul Tewatia, the Ahmedabad-based franchise has the most dangerous death over batters.
With 24 wickets apiece, Mohammed Shami and Rashid Khan lead the Purple Cap race. The Indian pacer and the Afghanistan captain had a good outing the last time they played CSK. With Noor Ahmad and Mohit Sharma providing excellent support, GT bowlers will give a stern test to the hosts’ batting unit. Tewatia could bowl an over or two in the spin-friendly track.
GT Squad
- Hardik Pandya (captain)
- Wriddhiman Saha
- Shubman Gill
- Sai Sudharsan
- David Miller
- Rahul Tewatia
- Abhinav Manohar
- Rashid Khan
- Noor Ahmad
- Mohit Sharma
- Mohammad Shami
- Vijay Shankar
- Yash Dayal
- Alzarri Joseph
- Joshua Little
- Dasun Shanaka
- Matthew Wade
- Jayant Yadav
- Odean Smith
- R Sai Kishore
- Urvil Patel
- KS Bharat
- Shivam Mavi
- Pradeep Sangwan
- Darshan Nalkande
Chennai Super Kings (CSK)
CSK’s opening batting pair, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Devon Conway, can overpower a quality GT bowling attack. Conway has scored more than 300 runs, including three fifties, in seven outings at Chidambaram Stadium. On the other hand, Ruturaj has a stellar record against GT, hitting three half-centuries in as many matches. The likes of Ajinkya Rahane, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, and MS Dhoni have come to CSK’s aid on a couple of occasions this season.
Deepak Chahar and Ravindra Jadeja are the key players in CSK’s bowling unit. The fast bowler has been prolific in the powerplay, picking up nine wickets in his four outings, while Jadeja, three away from 20 scalps this season, has grabbed crucial breakthroughs and kept batters at bay in middle overs. Young pacer Matheesha Pathirana, too, has a big role to play.
CSK Squad
- MS Dhoni (captain)
- Devon Conway
- Ruturaj Gaikwad
- Shivam Dube
- Ajinkya Rahane
- Moeen Ali
- Ambati Rayudu
- Ravindra Jadeja
- Deepak Chahar
- Tushar Deshpande
- Maheesh Theekshana
- Matheesha Pathirana
- Mitchell Santner
- Dwaine Pretorius
- Shaik Rasheed
- Rajvardhan Hangargekar
- Sisanda Magala
- Subhranshu Senapati
- Bhagath Varma
- Prashant Solanki
- Ajay Mandal
- Akash Singh
- Simarjeet Singh
- Nishant Sindhu
Head-to-Head – GT vs CSK
GT has won all three fixtures against CSK in IPL. Shubman Gill, Rashid Khan, Mohammed Shami, and Alzarri Joseph starred for GT in their last meeting against CSK. The defending champions eased to a five-wicket win in Ahmedabad.
IPL 2023 Stats – GT & CSK
- Highest Run-scorer: Shubman Gill – 680 runs (GT); Devon Conway – 585 runs (CSK)
- Leading Wicket-taker: Mohammed Shami & Rashid Khan – 24 wickets (GT); Tushar Deshpande – 20 wickets (CSK)
- Most Sixes: Shubman Gill – 22 sixes (GT); Shivam Dube – 33 sixes (CSK)
Winner Prediction – GT vs CSK
CSK will be banking on its home advantage in the Qualifier 1 of the 16th edition. However, GT loves playing away from home, as they have won at Delhi, Lucknow, Punjab, Kolkata, Jaipur, and Bengaluru in IPL 2023. With plenty of playoff experience under their belt and playing in familiar territory, CSK has the advantage over GT in Qualifier 1.
Final Thoughts on GT vs CSK
The fans couldn’t have asked for a better fixture in the opening match of the IPL 2023 playoffs. Shubman Gill and Devon Conway will be eyeing another big knock. Meanwhile, Rashid Khan or Ravindra Jadeja could produce a match-winning performance. Expect a thriller in Chennai on Tuesday.
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