GT vs CSK IPL 2023 HIGHLIGHTS: Tewatia, Rashid help Gujarat beat Chennai by 5 wickets after Gill fifty; Ruturaj 92 in vain

Felt pretty good. Little bit disappointed with myself for getting out. But getting off to a good start is very important for the team. Definitely makes a difference when you’ve got runs under your belt at International level. Wicket is so good as a batsman. Don’t have to overhit, just have to time it well and it flies. No specific roles given to us. It’s just about who gets set. We have to play the situation. Today we were chasing not a very high score, but a high-ish total. So the intent from Wriddhi bhai was to get as many runs as possible in the powerplay.

We all knew there will be dew. We could have done a bit more with the batsman ship. Ruturaj (Gaikwad) was brilliant, he times the ball well and he’s a pleasure to watch. The way he picks his options, it is pleasing to watch. I think it’s important for the youngsters to step in. I think Raj (Hangargekar) has pace and he will get bowler with time. Think the bowlers will get better, a no-ball is something that’s in your control, so you need to work on that. I felt two left armers will be a better option so I went ahead with them. Shivam was an option, but I felt comfortable with the bowlers overall.

Deshpande starts with a wide. In the slot outside the off-stump and Tewatia pumps it over long-off for SIX. Tewatia drills it down the ground for FOUR - GT beats CSK by 5 wickets.

Chahar starts with a slower ball and Tewatia misses it. Chahar slides one to the pads and it brushes Tewatia goes for FOUR leg byes down the ground. Dhoni takes treatment for some pain on his right foot. A single to follow. Length ball and Rashid wallops it over deep mid-wicket for SIX. Short ball and Rashid cuts it over short third for another FOUR. Slower ball to finish. GT needs 8 to win in last over.

Huge over in the game as Hangargekar returns. Hangargekar pushes one past the turf as Tewatia swings but misses out. Full and outside off, Tewatia drills it to mid-off - no run. Hangargekar hits the blockhole and Tewatia digs it out to mid-off for a single this time. Back-of-a-length and Vijay Shankar clobbers the ball over deep mid-wicket for SIX! Hangargekar floats one in on the full within the tram line but GT reviews for a wide. GT loses the review. Hangargekar to Shankar, OUT!

Vijay Shankar c Santner b Hangargekar 27 (21b 2x4 1x6)

Chahar is back. Slower bouncer and Shankar guides it to short fine leg for a single. Chahar keeps it tight but Shankar finds room to loft the ball through point for some runs.

Short ball from Santner and Shankar slaps it through cover for FOUR. Mix-up between Stokes and Conway at deep cover and wide long on.

Deshpande replaces Jadeja. Shankar and Gill nudge the gaps for singles. Short ball and Gill swats to the deep mid-wicket and the ball bursts throughs Gaikwad’s palms for SIX. Deshpande to Gaikwad, OUT! The IP strikes! Slower ball on length and Gill sends it to Gaikwad again who takes a simple catch.

Shubman Gill c Gaikwad b Deshpande 63 (36b 6x4 3x6)

Hangargekar returns. Room from the bowler and Gill slaps through cover and Santner leaps to his left for a sensational stop. Short ball and Gill pumps it in front of square for FOUR. A couple of singles to follow. Slower bouncer and Gill top-edges it over Dhoni for FOUR. Titans review for a second bouncer in the over but lose it.

Jadeja to Hardik, OUT! Cleans him up! Jadeja fires on in to hit the top of off as Hardik attempts a bizarre sweep. Vijay Shankar in at 5.

Hardik Pandya b Jadeja 8 (11b)

FIFTY for Shubman Gill off just 30 balls with a single. Dhoni drops Hardik! A lob off Hardik’s gloves jumps up but Dhoni fumbles as he attempts to gather the ball off Santner’s delivery.

Jadeja skims through another over in a flash. A slew of singles. Jadeja slides down leg and Gill tucks it fine for FOUR. In the slot outside the off-stump and Gill steps out and powers it over deep cover for SIX.

Rajvardhan Hangargekar is back into the attack and strikes straightaway! He gets Sai out caught behind. Much needed breakthrough. Hardik Pandya comes to the crease. Hardik’s off the mark with a couple.

Jadeja continues after the break. Gill and Sai bring up the fifty stand. Gujarat cruising at the moment. 7 from the over.

Mitchell Santner comes into the attack. Sudharsan and Gill making sure they do not take their foot off the pedal. Sudharsan pulls Santner for a four and Gill goes inside out over cover to collect four more. 11 from the over. TIME OUT!

Jadeja replaces Deshpande. Jadeja slides the ball in and Gill tucks it towards mid-wicket. Jadeja steams towards the ball and dives to collect and throw the ball quickly towards Dhoni.

Santner replaces Hangargekar. Santner drifts the ball in Sai slides the ball past Dhoni’s pad. Short from Santner and Gill slices the ball past point for FOUR.

Room from Deshpande and Gill crunches the ball through cover point for FOUR. A single to follow. Sudharsan slides a delivery down to third for one run. Deshpande oversteps and there’s another no ball. CLASS! Nonchalance from Gill as he lifts a ball from the pads over the mid-wicket fence for SIX.

Rajvardhan Hangargekar into the attack. The debutant yorks Saha with a sharp delivery. Loud appeal but Dhoni calms him down. Hangargekar oversteps and concedes a free hit. Short ball and Saha pulls it through mid-wicket for FOUR. Hangargekar to Saha, OUT! In the air and Dube takes a fine catch at third. The debutant strikes in his first over.

Sai Sudharsan comes in as the Impact Player, replacing Kane Williamson. He is off the mark with a superb FOUR, clipped through square leg.

Wriddhiman Saha c Dube b Hangargekar 25 (16b 2x4 2x6)

Chahar slides one in and Saha gets a quick single with a tap towards mid-on. Change of pace and the batters find a couple of singles. Short from Chahar and Saha hooks it over backward square-leg for SIX.

Length from Deshpande and Saha top-edges it over third for SIX. Short ball and Saha swipes it across for FOUR. A single to follow. Deshpande induces a leading edge from Gill towards cover. Short and straight and Gill hammers the ball past mid-on for FOUR.

Deepak Chahar takes the new ball. A fine outswinger from Chahar and Saha leaves it on length. Chahar follows it up with an inswinger. Three from the first over.

Tushar Deshpande becomes first Impact Player in IPL. He replaces Ambati Rayudu.

Back for the chase. CSK players take the field. Wriddhiman Saha and Shubman Gill walk out for the chase.

It’s a score which is great to have. Little disappointed. Should’ve got 15-20 more. Ruturaj was outstanding. It was a decent pitch once you went through your first 5-6 balls. Chennai support has always been outstanding. When I was batting, it felt like the loudest crowd I’ve experienced in my career.

• Most runs in 20th over in IPL - MS Dhoni: 667 (Next best: 405)
• Most sixes in 20th over in IPL - MS Dhoni: 53 (Next best: 33)

Little to bowl the final over. Room from Little and Dhoni creams it to deep point for one run. Little darts in a yorker to Santner but they sneak in a leg bye. BANG! Dhoni smokes length over deep mid-wicket for a massive SIX! Little slides towards the pads and Dhoni slices it behind point for FOUR. Slower ball and Dhoni heaves but misses! Dhoni finishes the innings with a single.

Shami sends in a fiery bouncer and Dube mistimes the hook behind square. Saha scrambles for the dive but fails to latch onto the ball. Short ball and Dube finally connects through square-leg for a massive SIX. Shami to Dube, OUT! Another hook to the deep but Rashid holds on. Mitchell Santner is in at 9. He finds a single as Shami tucks one in. Dhoni retains strike with a single.

Shivam Dube c Rashid Khan b Mohammed Shami 19 (18b 1x6)

In the air and Ruturaj holes out to deep long-on. Is that a no-ball review and the umpire signals for a referral. The TV umpire says the ball is below the waist and Ruturaj falls on 92! OUT! Ravindra Jadeja is in at 7. Joseph to Jadeja, OUT! Length and Jadeja flicks it to the deep. MS Dhoni comes in at 8.

Ruturaj Gaikwad c Shubman Gill b Joseph 92 (50b 4x4 9x6); Ravindra Jadeja c Shankar b Joseph 1 (2)

Rashid drops short and Gaikwad hammers it over wide long-on for SIX! A single to follow. Dube swings and misses once again but gets a bye nevertheless. Ruturaj reels in single to retain strike.

Joseph strangles Dube with another steep bouncer. Another rising delivery and Dube mistimes a shot down the ground for a single. A miscue from Gaikwad and he chips the ball to mid-off for another single. This is some tight bowling from Gujarat.

Hardik returns. A couple of singles to Ruturaj and Dube. Hardik sends one to Dube’s ribs and he brushes it down leg for FOUR.

Joseph goes full and Ruturaj slaps it down the ground for a single. Joseph fires in two short balls to Dube who attempts to flat-bat them but fails.

Ruturaj has registered his 12th fifty plus score in @IPL (11 fifties and 1 ton), since the start of 2020 season, only KL Rahul (18) and Faf du Plessis (13) have scored more 50+ scores in the tournament. - Opta Stats

Slower-ball from Little and Ruturaj taps it to point for a single. Length from Little and Ruturaj scythes it towards deep mid-wicket and Williamson puts in a sensational leap but lands to hurt his knee! He is wincing in pain. The physios are treating him as the umpire signals a FOUR. Little to Rayudu, OUT! Rayudu swings big and misses and Little rattles the stumps. Shivam Dube is in at 6.

Ambati Rayudu b Little 12 (12b 1x6)

IN THE AIR and just past a diving Hardik at mid-off. Rayudu miscues his slog off Yash Dayal and gets a lucky reprieve. Length from Dayal and Ruturaj clobbers the ball over long-off for a massive SIX! Slower ball and Ruturaj flicks it across the line for a single. Slower-ball and Rayudu joins the act with a pull over mid-wicket for SIX.

Little returns. Tighter line and Little cuts it across the length and beats Rayudu’s blade. A single to follow. Short ball and Ruturaj swivels to crack another SIX. 100 up for CSK!

Rashid varies his lengths but constricts the batters to the crease. Just three runs from his third over.

Alzarri Joseph replaces Hardik. Alzarri tucks one in and Ruturaj flicks it through square-leg for SIX! SIX more! Alzarri hits the deck and Gaikwad hooks it over square-leg for a massie boundary - 50 for Gaikwad in just 23 balls. BANG! Short ball and Gaikwad hooks into the stands behind square this time. He’s in some form!

Rashid drops short and Gaikwad works it down to deep mid-wicket for a single. Rashid loops one outside the off-stump and Stokes wallops the ball down the ground for FOUR. Rashid Khan to Stokes, OUT! A beauty from Rashid and Saha! Rashid hits length and drifts it in and Stokes’ under-edge is grabbed by a superb reflex from Saha. Ambati Rayudu in at 5.

Ben Stokes c †Saha b Rashid Khan 7 (6b 1x4)

Hardik returns. Hardik rushes one to the stumps and Stokes taps it off the pitch and steals a single. Hardik overpitches and Ruturaj smokes it over deep cover for SIX! Well, there’s a stoppage in play as the umpires check if the ball hit the spidercam cable as it flew over the infield. The six stands. In the slot and Ruturaj pumps it over the wide long-off for SIX!

Rashid Khan into the attack. Rashid to Moeen, OUT! The umpire raises his finger. Rashid rushes one to the pad as Moeen attempts to sweep. CSK reviews. Flat line on UltraEdge. Pitching Outside Leg and Moeen survives!

50 up for CSK in 5.4 overs as Moeen pumps the ball down the ground for FOUR.

Rashid to Moeen, OUT! A superb take from Saha behind the stumps. Moeen makes room to lob over cover and Rashid finds the edge with a googly. Ben Stokes is in at 4.

Moeen Ali c †Saha b Rashid Khan 23 (17b 4x4 1x6)

Shami hits the deck and Moeen nonchalantly caresses it through cover for FOUR. Shami sends in a beamer - no ball! The ball slips off his grip on its way to Moeen. Shami hits the blockhole and Moeen digs it out for a massive SIX over long-off! Shami fends short and Moeen drags it past mid-on for another FOUR.

Josh Little into the attack. Short delivery and Gaikwad slams it across the line for a massive SIX. Room from Little and Gaikwad slams it through point for FOUR. Short from Little again and Moeen pumps it over cover for FOUR.

Shami finds a thick outside-edge from Ruturaj and it races it to third for one run. Shami to Conway, OUT! Cleans him up. 100th wicket for Mohammed Shami! Shami slides one in sharply and Conway plays all around the line. Moeen Ali in at 3. Beaten. Shami shapes it away once again and Moeen has a feel for it.

Devon Conway b Mohammed Shami 1 (6b)

Hardik Pandya into the attack. Back-of-length delivery and Ruturaj gently flicks it across the line for FOUR. FOUR more! Classy from Ruturaj as he slices the ball from top of off between point and cover. Ruturaj sets off on a quick single with a firm push to mid-on. Hardik attacks the stumps and Conway taps it towards point.

Two slips in place. Conway on strike. Conway taps the first ball to mid-wicket. Conway attempts to shuffle across as Shami rushes one high onto the pads. Extra skid off the deck for Shami. Leg bye for CSK. Shami goes straight and Ruturaj plays it down the line. A single to follow. Shami comes around the wicket again to Conway and hits length. Conway works it to the on-side. Beaten! A hint of swing and Shami beats the outside-edge of Conway as he hangs his blade outside length.

Ruturaj Gaikwad and Devon Conway open for Chennai. Mohammad Shami takes the new ball.

MS Dhoni and Hardik Pandya lead their respective teams out to the field.

Chennai Super Kings Playing XI: Devon Conway, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ben Stokes, Ambati Rayudu, Moeen Ali, Shivam Dube, MS Dhoni(w/c), Ravindra Jadeja, Mitchell Santner, Deepak Chahar, Rajvardhan Hangargekar

CSK subs: Tushar Deshpande, Subhranshu Senapati, Ajinkya Rahane, Nishant Sindhu and Shaikh Rasheed

Gujarat Titans (Playing XI): Wriddhiman Saha(w), Shubman Gill, Kane Williamson, Hardik Pandya(c), Vijay Shankar, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Mohammed Shami, Joshua Little, Yash Dayal, Alzarri Joseph

GT subs: Sai Sudharsan, Jayant Yadav, Mohit Sharma, Abinav Manohar, KS Bharat

TOSS: Gujarat Titans wins the toss, opts to bowl

Hardik: We’ll bowl first. It’s always good to play here. New start, new season, quite exciting. Almost everyone in the country has got motivation from him (Dhoni). Been a fan and admirer of him. Want boys to enjoy it. Result will take care of itself. I don’t know (combination for today).

Dhoni: We’re also looking to bowl. Looks a good wicket and I don’t think it will change. Don’t know if there will be dew because it rained last night. You want to play in front of people. This stadium is twice the capacity of other stadiums. Fantastic atmosphere. The preparation was good. We assembled quite early. It’s a luxury to have (impact player). It becomes slightly easy to decide because you can use it at any time. Influence of all-rounder has become slightly less because of the rule. Conway, Stokes, Moeen and Santner are the overseas players. And the others will fight for that one spot.

MS Dhoni and Hardik Pandya walk out for the toss.

Simon Doull: Looks like a belter of a wicket, there’s a bit of grass covering on it, the surface is nice and hard. It has some good pace and bounce in it. The new ball might nip around a bit, so the opening batters will have a little bit of work cut out. The square boundaries are comparatively shorter as compared to the straighter ones. A great cricket surface and the outfield looks magnificent. The batters need to put up a good score on the board.

TOSS coming up

Two teamsheets, Impact Players and more. This toss is going down in history, folks.

The BCCI administrators are on the stage and in comes Mahendra Singh Dhoni on a buggy! Huge roars for the CSK skipper. He is followed by GT captain Hardik Pandya.

Rashmika Mandanna danced to some of her most popular numbers including Saami. Tamannaah Bhatia got the energy levels up with dances to Diljit Dosanjh’s Lover, Tum Tum and Tune Maari Entriyaan. LIVE

Rashmika Mandanna and Tamannaah Bhatia are up next for a sprightly performance.

Wicketkeeper: Devon Conway

Batters: Shubman Gill, Kane Williamson, Ruturaj Gaikwad (vc)

All-rounders: Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Moeen Ali, Dwaine Pretorius

Bowlers: Mohammad Shami, Rashid Khan (c), Alzarri Joseph

Team Composition: GT 5:6 CSK Credits Left: 6.5

Chennai Super Kings Predicted XI (Batting first): Ruturaj Gaikwad, Devon Conway, Ben Stokes, Moeen Ali, Ambati Rayudu, Ravindra Jadeja, Shivam Dube, MS Dhoni (capt, wk), Mitchell Santner, Deepak Chahar, Simarjeet Singh/Tushar Deshpande

Chennai Super Kings Predicted XI (Bowling first): Ruturaj Gaikwad, Devon Conway, Ben Stokes, Moeen Ali, Ravindra Jadeja, Shivam Dube, Rajvardhan Hangargekar, MS Dhoni (capt, wk), Dwaine Pretorius/Mitchell Santner, Deepak Chahar, Simarjeet Singh/Tushar Deshpande

Impact Player options: Rajvardhan Hangargekar, Ambati Rayudu

Gujarat Titans Predicted XI (Batting first): Shubman Gill, Sai Sudharsan/Wriddhiman Saha, Kane Williamson, Matthew Wade (wk), Hardik Pandya, (capt), Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Shivam Mavi, R Sai Kishore, Alzarri Joseph, Mohammed Shami

Gujarat Titans Predicted XI (Bowling first): Shubman Gill, Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Kane Williamson, Matthew Wade, Hardik Pandya (capt), Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Shivam Mavi, Jayant Yadav/R Sai Kishore, Alzarri Joseph, Mohammed Shami

Impact Player options: Abhinav Manohar, Yash Dayal, Vijay Shankar, Sai Sudharsan

Singer Arijit Singh belted some of his most popular numbers in an all-soul performance. Starting with a simple yet melodious set on the piano, Arijit let his vocals mesmerize the crowd at the Motera Stadium. His set list included Kesariya from Brahmastra, Lehra Do from 83 and Ae Vatan from Raazi. LIVE

Strengths: The return to Chepauk is good news for CSK and its fans. Super Kings’ squad is tailor-made for the conditions in Chepauk, with Ravindra Jadeja, Moeen Ali and Maheesh Theekshana primed to mount a trial by spin for the travellers. Then there’s Ben Stokes, signed for Rs. 16.25 crore. He is a big-hitting option who can float up and down the order, and can pitch in with two-three overs of pace.

ALSO READ - Dhoni has a point to prove that you can lead incredibly well as a 42-year-old - Watson

Weaknesses: Death bowling. Dwayne Bravo, who had been Dhoni’s go-to option for two of the last four overs, especially on the slow pitches at Chepauk, has announced his retirement and is now the team’s bowling coach. CSK could turn to Stokes, but he has bowled only 31 balls at the death in all T20s since the start of 2021 and has four wickets. He could also leave IPL early to prepare for the Ireland Test and the Ashes. CSK could rely on Sri Lankan off-spinner Theekshana but its death bowling options, as they stand, threaten to spring a leak, especially on better batting surfaces.

Dhoni (captain): Here is a man whose name is synonymous with the success, philosophy, and popularity of CSK. Dhoni has led the Super Kings since the first season of the tournament — save the two years when the franchise was banned. His finishing powers may have waned over the years, but his methods even today bring about an air of reassurance and poise at the crease. Expect ear-piercing chants of “Dhoni! Dhoni! Dhoni!” when he steps on the field next.

Strengths: The core. If 2022 was all about finding a core for Titans, 2023 pre-season was to ensure it was retained. And Titans appears to have ticked the box, having hardly let go of any of its players that proved valuable to the team, Lockie Ferguson being an exception. As a result, the combination will be set even before the first match, with the management hoping it will continue from where it left in Mumbai last year.

ALSO READ - IPL: Purple Cap winners list in IPL, from 2008 to 2022

Weaknesses: A wobbly top-order and middle-over bowling could be areas to focus on for the star-studded coaching staff. Kane Williamson or Wriddhiman Saha is set to partner Shubman Gill at the top, but the sooner Titans find a settled opening pair, the better it will be for it. Similarly, to find a wicket-taker in the middle overs in the absence of Ferguson, who did that role to perfection last season, will be a big ask.

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There has been a buzz that CSK skipper MS Dhoni could miss the first game tonight in Ahmedabad. Here’s what we know so far:

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If Chennai Super Kings is Indian Premier League royalty, Gujarat Titans is that talented and ambitious prince that is desperate to ascend the throne. On Friday at the Narendra Modi Stadium, the four-time winner will take on the defending champion in one of the tournament’s newest, but fascinating rivalries.

For CSK, a confident start is of paramount importance to banish the memories from last year when it finished ninth out of 10 teams. For the Titans, it will be its first brush with handling high expectations, for it is no longer the hunter but the hunted.

A fit and firing Ravindra Jadeja is a big plus for the MS Dhoni-led CSK, and with the captaincy fiasco of the previous season behind him, the all-rounder will be eager to show his real worth in all three departments.

The addition of Ben Stokes gives the side a cutting edge and the Englishman, who has so far not really set the tournament on fire, will be eager to leave his mark.

But CSK will have to do without left-arm pacer Mukesh Choudhary – one of the team’s better bowlers in a disappointing IPL 2022 – who has been ruled out because of a back injury.

For the Titans, South African David Miller, a standout player last year, will miss the tournament opener as he is playing the ODI series against the Netherlands. But Titans’ is a star-studded team, well serviced by Hardik Pandya’s mature captaincy, Shubman Gill’s brilliance and Kane Williamson’s intelligence and guile.

On Thursday evening, the heavens opened briefly, cutting short the teams’ practice but bringing some much-needed relief from the nagging humidity. Friday, though, looks clear, as the IPL looks set to embrace an all-new world with all of the old comforts firmly intact.

Chennai Super Kings Squad: Devon Conway, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ambati Rayudu, Moeen Ali, Ben Stokes, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni(w/c), Dwaine Pretorius, Deepak Chahar, Simarjeet Singh, Ajinkya Rahane, Subhranshu Senapati, Shaik Rasheed, Nishant Sindhu, Mitchell Santner, Bhagath Varma, Tushar Deshpande, Rajvardhan Hangargekar, Ajay Jadav Mandal, Prashant Solanki, Akash Singh

* - Maheesh Theekshana, Matheesha Pathirana are unavailable for the first three games

Gujarat TitansSquad: Abhinav Manohar, Shubman Gill, Kane Williamson, Hardik Pandya(c), Rahul Tewatia, Matthew Wade(w), Rashid Khan, Shivam Mavi, Alzarri Joseph, Mohammed Shami, Yash Dayal, Srikar Bharat, Wriddhiman Saha, Sai Sudharsan, Urvil Patel, Vijay Shankar, Ravisrinivasan Sai Kishore, Odean Smith, Jayant Yadav, Joshua Little, Darshan Nalkande, Noor Ahmad, Mohit Sharma, Pradeep Sangwan

When will the Gujarat Titans vs Chennai Super Kings IPL 2023 match take place?

The Gujarat Titans vs Chennai Super Kings match will be played on Friday, March 31.

Where will the Gujarat Titans vs Chennai Super Kings IPL 2023 match take place?

The Gujarat Titans vs Chennai Super Kings match will take place at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

When will the Gujarat Titans vs Chennai Super Kings IPL 2023 match start?

The Gujarat Titans vs Chennai Super Kings match will start at 7:30 PM IST.

Where can I watch the Gujarat Titans vs Chennai Super Kings IPL 2023 match?

Chennai Super Kings vs. Gujarat Titans will be broadcast live on the Star Sports Network in India. The match will stream live on the Jio Cinema app for free.

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