The Gujarat Titans will defend their championship against the Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 final on Sunday, May 29 in Ahmedabad. The first day was cancelled due to rain. Since this is Chennai’s tenth IPL final and MS Dhoni’s final, it’s apparent that they know more.
Gujarat, on the other hand, has been outstanding from their first game in 2022, and they are poised to capture their second consecutive crown. The Titans have the benefit of playing at home, but Dhoni’s popularity has demonstrated that his supporters will turn any field yellow to support him.
Let’s take a look at each team’s strengths, weaknesses, and greatest players before the final match.
Batting Strengths: Both sides have placed a high value on their starters. Shubman Gill, sporting an orange headgear, has been nothing short of spectacular for the Gujarat Titans. Ruturaj Gaikwad and Devon Conway, both in the top ten run scorers in the league, have ensured that Chennai never falters.
The breakers for Chennai are a rejuvenated Ajinkya Rahane and a flamboyant Shivam Dube, while Gujarat’s middle order hasn’t done much with the exception of Sai Sudharsan and Vijay Shankar. If it came to that, Rahul Tewatia’s ice-cold attitude would be put to the test against Captain Cool Dhoni’s Kings, and Gujarat would try to slow down Jadeja’s hitting skills.
Batting Weaknesses: Despite Hardik Pandya’s 325 runs in 15 games, the form of David Miller and Hardik Pandya is a concern for the championship holders. So far, Gill’s excellent play has eclipsed their blunders. Dhoni would be aware of this, and he would try to exploit this weak link as much as possible.
CSK’s lower middle order, on the other hand, is dependent on Ambati Rayudu, who hasn’t been in the best of form, and the Titans can choke CSK with only two or three early wickets.
Bowling Strengths: Gujarat does not need to worry about its bowling because Mohammed Shami (28 wickets), Rashid Khan (27 wickets), and Mohit Sharma (24 wickets) are likely to play their best games in the final.
CSK’s new-ball bowling has been a source of concern, with the exception of Tushar Deshpande, who has 21 wickets but has been a touch pricey. Matheesha Pathirana, sometimes known as “baby Malinga,” is a Sri Lankan who has been a bright spot for CSK in the “death overs.”
Afghan Noor Ahmed and Irish Josh Little are Pandya’s fourth and fifth bowling options. The captain can also bowl a few good overs if necessary.
It will be up to Jadeja and Matheesha Pathirana for CSK to stop the flow of runs in the middle and late overs, particularly from Gill, who is looking good, which might be terrible news for the Super Kings.
CSK will be wary of Shubman Gill, Vijay Shankar, and Sai Sudharsan when bowling, while Rashid Khan, Mohammed Shami, and Mohit Sharma will keep them on their toes when batting.
In terms of GT, Gaikwad, Conway, Rahane, and Dube have the ability to spoil the party, while Jadeja and Deshpande are looking to pin their batters down.
