Preview: Gujarat Titans begin title defence against perennial contenders Chennai Super Kings

Saturday's hosts will now face the pressure of expectations after thriving without it last season.

After a long wait, the Indian Premier League (IPL 2023) is on our doorstep. Defending champions Gujarat Titans will clash against four-time champions Chennai Super Kings in the opening fixture of the 16th season of the tournament at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad. Both the teams look solid on paper and it will be interesting to see who comes out on top in this exhilarating fixture.

The opening fixture is bound to be exciting between the two sides and both teams will be looking to start off with a win. MS Dhoni will once again be leading the Super Kings after taking over the leadership responsibilities from Ravindra Jadeja last season. With two points at stake, both teams are bound to give their best to come out on top in this fixture.

GT Vs CSK Pitch Report:

The venue is known for being a decent batting surface. However, as the game moves into the lateral stages, spinners will see some help from the track which could be a turning point in the game. The average first-inning score at the venue has been around 170 with the chasing team coming out on top in most cases.

GT Vs CSK Teams News:

David Miller will be unavailable in Gujarat’s opening fixture as the South African star is currently participating in the ODI series against the Netherlands with the Proteas looking to find direct qualification for the World Cup 2023. 

Similarly, the Chennai Super Kings will miss out on the services of the Sri Lankan duo of Maheesh Theekshana and Matheesha Pathirana as the two will join the squad on the 8th of April after they return from the tour of New Zealand. 

GT Vs CSK Head to Head

Matches: 2

Gujarat Titans: 2

Chennai Super Kings: 0

Draws: 0

Player to Watch

Gujarat Titans: Shubman Gill

The Indian superstar opener has been in sensational form as of late and will be looking to carry the momentum in the opening game of the tournament. If Shubman can play freely and provide Gujarat with a good start, we could see the Gujarat Titans continue their win streak over the Chennai Super Kings in IPL history.

Chennai Super Kings: Moeen Ali

English veteran all-rounder Moeen Ali will have a lot of responsibilities on his shoulders in the absence of Maheesh Theekshana. While Moeen can contribute with the bat, his bowling will be highly crucial to the Super Kings considering he is likely to be their fifth bowling option in the contest. 

Probable Playing XIs:

Gujarat Titans Predicted Playing XI: Shubman Gill, Wriddhiman Saha (Wk), Kane Williamson, Hardik Pandya (C), Vijay Shankar, Matthew Wade, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Shivam Mavi, Mohammed Shami, Joshua Little

Chennai Super Kings Predicted Playing XI: Devon Conway, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Moeen Ali, Shivam Dube, Ambati Rayudu, Ben Stokes, Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni (C,Wk), Dwaine Pretorius, Deepak Chahar, Simarjeet Singh

GT Vs CSK Match Facts:

Both the games between the two sides saw Gujarat Titans come out on top while chasing as they won the first game by three wickets, and the second game by seven wickets last year.

Mohammed Shami was the top wicket-taker when these two sides clashed against each other with the veteran pacer picking up a total of 3 wickets in 2 outings.

Chennai Super Kings hold the lowest registered total in the games between the two sides, with the Yellow Army putting up just 133 runs in their 2nd fixture against Gujarat last year.

Live Broadcasting Details:

IND: Star Sports Network (TV) | JioCinema (Live Streaming)

UK: DAZN

AUS: Fox Sports, Kayo Sports

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