In the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 final, the Gujarat Titans will defend their title against the Chennai Super Kings in Ahmedabad on Sunday, May 29. The first day was rained out. Since this is Chennai’s 10th IPL final and MS Dhoni’s last, it’s clear that they have more knowledge.
Gujarat, on the other hand, has been great since their first game in 2022, and they are getting ready to win their second title in a row. The Titans have the advantage of playing at home, but Dhoni’s popularity has shown that his fans would turn any field yellow to back him.
Before the final match, let’s look at each team’s strengths, weaknesses, and best players.
Batting Strengths:
Both teams have relied a lot on their openers. Shubman Gill, who has the orange cap, has been nothing short of amazing for the Gujarat Titans. Ruturaj Gaikwad and Devon Conway, who are both in the top 10 run scorers in the league, have made sure that Chennai never gets off to a bad start.
For Chennai, the breakers are a refreshed Ajinkya Rahane and a flashy Shivam Dube, while Gujarat’s middle order hasn’t done much except for Sai Sudharsan and Vijay Shankar. Rahul Tewatia’s ice-cold attitude would be put to the test against Captain Cool Dhoni’s Kings if it came to that, and Gujarat would try to slow down Jadeja’s hitting skills.
Batting Weaknesses:
Even though Hardik Pandya has scored 325 runs in 15 games so far, the form of David Miller and Hardik Pandya is a worry for the title holders. Gill’s great play has overshadowed their mistakes so far. Dhoni would know this, and he would want to take advantage of this weak link as much as possible.
On the other hand, CSK’s lower middle order depends on Ambati Rayudu, who hasn’t been in the best of form, and the Titans can choke CSK with just two or three quick wickets.
Bowling Strengths:
Gujarat doesn’t have to think much about their bowling because Mohammed Shami (28 wickets), Rashid Khan (27 wickets), and Mohit Sharma (24 wickets) are expected to bring their best games for the final.
Except for Tushar Deshpande, who has 21 wickets but has been a bit pricey, CSK’s new-ball bowling has been a bit of a worry. Matheesha Pathirana, who is from Sri Lanka and is known as “baby Malinga,” has been a bright spot for CSK in the “death overs.”
Pandya’s fourth and fifth bowling choices are Afghan Noor Ahmed and Irish Josh Little. If necessary, the captain can also throw a few good overs.
For CSK, it will be up to Jadeja and Matheesha Pathirana to stop the flow of runs in the middle and late overs, especially from Gill, who is looking good, which could be bad news for the Super Kings.
Players to keep an eye on:
When bowling, CSK will be cautious of Shubman Gill, Vijay Shankar, and Sai Sudharsan, while batting, Rashid Khan, Mohammed Shami, and Mohit Sharma will keep them on their toes.
In terms of GT, Gaikwad, Conway, Rahane, and Dube have the ability to ruin the party, while Jadeja and Deshpande are attempting to pin down their batters.
