The first qualifier of Gujarat Titans will be played between the defending champion Gujarat Titans and the four-time champion Chennai Super Kings. The match will be played at Chepauk, which is also the home ground for MS Dhoni’s side. Gujarat finished with 20 points after the league matches while CSK had 17 points.
Meanwhile, the former Indian batter Virender Sehwag has stated this biggest clash between GT and Chennai Super Kings. Sehwag highlighted that Chepauk’s ground is spin-friendly and there Rashid Khan could be the game-changer for Gujarat Titans. He said that Afghanistan’s leggie could be the biggest threat to CSK batters.
“Rashid Khan is the trump card for Gujarat. If they want wickets, they bring him. And then the way Hardik has used Rashid, it is commendable. Rashid likes to break partnerships and now he has become the most successful bowler of this season based on his excellent performance,” Sehwag said.
Rashid Khan and Mohammed Shami currently share the top spot in the race for the Purple Cap. Both these bowlers play for Gujarat Titans and they have claimed the same number of wickets which is 24. Although Rashid had a slow start to the IPL 2023, he gradually gained momentum throughout the tournament. One notable highlight was his exceptional performance against the Kolkata Knight Riders in Ahmedabad where he got a hat-trick.
The former Indian batter Sanjay Manjrekar also joined the conversation and appreciated both CSK and GT for their approach in the tournament. He expressed that both these teams are known to make fewer changes in their playing XI which gives them better results.
