3 player battles to watch out for in GT vs CSK, Match 59 of IPL 2024 ft. Shubman Gill vs Mitchell Santner

The 59th match of IPL 2024 will take place tonight in Ahmedabad, with defending champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) facing home side Gujarat Titans (GT). It is a rematch of the IPL 2023 final, with the Narendra Modi Stadium playing host tonight as well.

Gujarat Titans have had their worst IPL season in 2024. In the last two seasons, the Titans would always stay in the upper half of the standings, but this year, they are on the verge of an early elimination, having suffered seven losses in 11 matches.

GT now need to win their remaining three IPL 2024 league matches and hope that other results go their way so they can qualify for the playoffs. Meanwhile, CSK need at least two victories in their remaining three encounters to strengthen their chances of a top four finish.

Before the high-stakes battle between Gujarat Titans and Chennai Super Kings starts, here's a list of the three mini-clashes that might determine the fate of this IPL 2024 contest.

---

#1 Shubman Gill vs Mitchell Santner

In Gujarat Titans' previous home match, Royal Challengers Bengaluru's off-spinner Glenn Maxwell dismissed him caught out for 16 runs off 19 balls. Chennai Super Kings captain Ruturaj Gaikwad might be tempted to introduce spin early in Ahmedabad to get rid of Gill.

CSK opened the bowling with Mitchell Santner when they battled the Punjab Kings in Dharamsala last Sunday. The move worked well for the defending champions. Santner returned with impressive figures of 1/10 in three overs.

Last year, Santner dismissed Gill when New Zealand battled India in a T20I match. CSK fans will expect him to do the same in Ahmedabad tonight.

---

#2 Rashid Khan vs Shivam Dube

Shivam Dube got out for a golden duck in his previous two innings. Left-arm spinner Harpreet Brar dismissed him in Chennai, while leg-spinner Rahul Chahar got rid of him in Dharamsala.

Gujarat Titans fans would expect their main leg-spinner Rashid Khan to do the job for the team in Ahmedabad. Rashid has already dismissed Dube once this season.

If the Afghan leg-spinner picks up Dube's wicket cheaply in Ahmedabad, GT will have an upper hand in the IPL 2024 contest.

---

#3 David Miller vs Tushar Deshpande

David Miller is one of the most experienced batters in the Gujarat Titans squad. The left-handed batter played crucial knocks in the two matches against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru, and GT will expect him to continue in the same vein.

On the other side, Chennai Super Kings will rely on their strike bowler Tushar Deshpande to send Miller back to the dressing room cheaply. Earlier in IPL 2024, when CSK hosted GT for a match, Deshpande dismissed Miller caught out for 21 runs.

Miller has had a strike rate of 50 against Deshpande. Hence, it should not come as a surprise if CSK captain Ruturaj Gaikwad brings his strike bowler into the attack as soon as Miller comes out to bat.

It will be exciting to see who wins the second battle between Deshpande and Miller.