AHMEDABAD: IPL had hit the reboot button last season with two new teams coming into the competition. Gujarat Titans winning the trophy in its debut season validated the claims of India’s resource pool that could easily accommodate 10 teams in the league. In doing so, Titans have built a reputation for themselves while able leadership qualities of Hardik Pandya came to the fore.
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It’s MS Dhoni vs Hardik Pandya in blockbuster IPL 2023 opener
Friday will be another fresh start for the tournament. It’s back to its home-and-away format with the tournament being played outside a bio-secure bubble for the first time since 2019. When Hardik’s Titans walk out this evening at an expectedly packed Narendra Modi Stadium here, they will have the perennial powerhouse in IPL cricket in MS Dhoni’s Chennai Super Kings waiting for them.
This season is going to test the temperament of Titans as defending champions. Hardik has offered hope of India finding a stable successor to Rohit Sharma as India’s white-ball captain. The broadcasters must be drooling over the match-up of India’s most successful captain MS Dhoni challenging Hardik, the leader-in-waiting who was groomed as an international cricketer by Dhoni himself. This time, Hardik will also have Kane Williamson by his side.
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Titans did not depend on solo performances as they rode to the title. They relied on teamwork to dominate the season, winning 12 out of 16 matches. This sounds just like the template Dhoni had set for CSK to win the IPL four times. The shrewd captain in Dhoni will be looking to make amends for last season’s ninth-place finish. Also, Titans got the better of CSK twice in 2022.
CSK have added muscle to their squad, bringing in England Test captain and premier allrounder Ben Stokes for Rs 16.25 crore. Even as he is likely to play most of the IPL just as a batter, the move was aimed at filling the void left by Dwayne Bravo.
In Ruturaj Gaikwad and Devon Conway, CSK have an opening pair which is in good touch. Moeen Ali, Ambati Rayudu, Stokes and Dhoni provide solidity as well as big-hitting prowess in the middle-order. Stokes and Ravindra Jadeja -the two allrounders in the team –lend balance. Jadeja will also be looking to improve on an ordinary last season which saw him lose CSK captaincy midway and subsequently hurting his relationship with the CSK management.
The bowling department looks in much better shape this time around. Deepak Chahar, who missed the last season because of an injury, has returned after an extensive rehabilitation programme at the National Cricket Academy and will be itching to get some game time to prove his fitness and form. The wily New Zealand left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner is another option CSK have.
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Shubman Gill will be looking to build on his growing reputation as an international cricketer. With South African David Miller unavailable for at least the first two matches, the onus will be on captain Pandya and Williamson to shepherd the middle-order with Rahul Tewatia tasked with doing the power-hitting in the later stages of the innings.
Mohammed Shami and Rashid Khan’s wicket-taking abilities add bite to the bowling attack. Shivam Mavi and Alzarri Joseph are also expected to step up.
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The weather in Ahmedabad is a deviation from the usual March temperature. Sweltering heat has given way to unseasonal rainfall. Yet, one can bet on seeing some fireworks on the opening night.
MSD skips batting in nets, but CSK CEO says he will play
MS Dhoni, wearing a brace on his right knee, was there at practice at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Thursday, but he didn’t bat, raising speculation about his availability. But CSK CEO Kasi Viswanathan said Dhoni “will play”. “He will 100% lead on Friday,” Viswanathan said.
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