By MS Dhoni praised the team’s ability to exploit home conditions after CSK reached their 10th final last season. CSK stands out for leveraging home advantages, despite losing three games at home in 2023, including one where they scored 200 on a true surface. The pitch’s variability in slowness, benefiting Dhoni’s strategic use of spin, proved unpredictable.
Gujarat Titans, fresh from a narrow victory against Mumbai Indians, may not worry about early-season pitch conditions in Chennai. Their victory highlighted their cohesive team effort, with tight middle and death overs bowling. Should Chepauk’s pitch display its typical character, Mohit Sharma’s varied bowling could prove crucial. With 14 IPL games at the venue and 18 wickets, his economy stands at 7.25. R Sai Kishore, familiar with Chennai, will also be a key player for GT, especially after his performance against MI.
Scheduled for March 26 at 19:30 IST, the match between Chennai Super Kings and Gujarat Titans at M.A. Chidambaram Stadium promises unpredictability. Last season, this unpredictability challenged CSK, but well-prepared pitches could slow down as the tournament progresses.
Head to head, Chennai Super Kings trail Gujarat Titans 2-3.
CSK VS GT Clash
CSK might see Matheesha Pathirana play, as confirmed by coach Fleming. Despite Mustafizur Rahman’s strong season opener, changing the lineup would be atypical for CSK. Shivam Dube and Sameer Rizvi face challenges against GT’s spinners, especially Rashid Khan, who Dube has faced without dismissal in IPL.
Gujarat Titans will likely not include Matthew Wade, recently active in the Sheffield Shield final. GT needs to manage Ruturaj Gaikwad, a potent threat, especially against Rashid Khan, whom Gaikwad has successfully scored against.
Notable stats include Ravindra Jadeja’s 30 wickets at Chepauk, David Miller’s aggressive batting against CSK, and Daryl Mitchell’s high strike rate since 2023. Azmatullah Omarzai stands out as a formidable PowerPlay bowler.
Fleming and Gill reflect on the importance of early wins and the challenges of adjusting to team dynamics and competition.
