IPL Final, CSK vs GT: Consistent Chennai face well-rounded Gujarat challenge

After 73 matches and almost two-month of thrilling action, the stage is set for the grand IPL Final 2023 with the tournament coming full circle as Chennai Super Kings (CSK) take on Gujarat Titans (GT) in the summit clash on Sunday at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

On 31 March, it was GT and CSK at the same stadium who began the 2023 edition.

IPL 2023: Full coverage | Points table | Schedule | Results | Orange Cap | Purple Cap​

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IPL 2023, Gujarat Titans vs Chennai Super Kings: Form guide, head-to-head, live streaming and all you need to know

In that game, it was Hardik Pandya’s Gujarat who had the last laugh winning by five wickets. CSK had their revenge with a 15-run win over GT in Qualifier 1 as MS Dhoni’s side qualified for a record 10th IPL final.

On Sunday, the two teams will meet for their third clash of the season with the coveted trophy at the stake

CSK’s incredible consistency

Chennai Super Kings have won four IPL titles in the past, one less than record champions Mumbai Indians. Besides four title victories, CSK have been in the final nine times. Sunday’s final will be their 10th.

Captain Dhoni has featured in 10 IPL finals already.

Such mind-boggling consistency is what has set them apart from every other team in IPL.

However, the last season was a sad story with a ninth-placed finish.

The biggest factors behind the rise in 2023 have been the regular fundamentals of their success — belief in their abilities and support to their players.

Openers Devon Conway and Ruturaj Gaikwad have scored 775 runs together this season. Tushar Deshpande has 21 wickets, Ravindra Jadeja has picked 19 while Matheesha Pathirana has 17 scalps in just 11 games.

IPL Final 2023, CSK vs GT: All you need to know

All these players were part of the setup last year as well. But despite the failure of 2022, Dhoni and CSK didn’t panic. They backed their players and now here they are in the final.

GT the new consistency kings

Gujarat Titians are of course aiming for history. They want to become the first team to win two IPL trophies in their first two years. They already hold the record of being the first team to reach consecutive finals in its first two seasons.

While the sample size is only two seasons big, the consistency shown by Gujarat is almost unprecedented.

In some ways, they are threatening to take away the tag of ‘kings of consistency’ from CSK.

The fundamentals for GT’s success this season have been their bowling. Mohammed Shami (28), Rashid Khan (27) and Mohit Sharma (24) lead the wicket-takers list for the season.

IPL Final 2023: CSK, the Kings of consistency

Shubman Gill leads the run-getters chart with 851 runs.

GT did the hard work in the auction by picking a well-rounded squad and skipper Hardik and coach Ashish Nehra have created an environment that enables them to give their best, every time.

In many ways, it’s a fight between teams with similar philosophies and that makes predicting a winner that much more difficult.

CSK vs GT Form guide (last five matches)

Gujarat: WLWWL
Chennai: WWLWW

Ahmedabad pitch and weather report: 

The average first-innings score at the Narendra Modi Stadium is 193 this season with five matches being won by team batting first. It’s a paradise for batters and both teams will look to bat first.

It will be cloudy in Ahmedabad on Sunday but rain should not hamper the game much.

CSK vs GT likely playing XIIs

CSK: Devon Conway, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ajinkya Rahane, Shivam Dube, Ambati Rayudu, Moeen Ali, Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni (C), Deepak Chahar, Tushar Deshpande, Maheesh Theekshana, Matheesha Pathirana

GT: Shubman Gill, Wriddhiman Saha, Sai Sudarshan, Hardik Pandya (C), Vijay Shankar, David Miller, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad, Mohammed Shami, Mohit Sharma, Josh Little

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