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Defending champions Gujarat Titans (GT) will lock horns with Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the opening match of the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2023) on Friday, March 31.
Considering the star-studded lineup of both teams, the clash promises to be a high-octane affair. Both CSK and GT endured contrasting campaigns in the previous edition.
While the Hardik Pandya-led Gujarat side finished as champions in their maiden appearance in the cash-rich league, CSK won just four of their 14 matches, ultimately finishing in the penultimate spot in the points table.
Incidentally, GT emerged victorious in both of their league matches against CSK last year. However, MS Dhoni and Co. shouldn't be discounted, given their impressive record in the tournament.
On that note, let's take a look at three exciting match-ups for the first fixture of the much-awaited IPL 2023.
#3 Shubman Gill vs Deepak Chahar
GT's opening batter Shubman Gill has been in the limelight for his superlative form across formats. The right-handed batter is expected to be the team's best bet in their clash against CSK, given his ability to change gears as per the situation.
Gill was instrumental in Gujarat winning the competition in 2022. The talented youngster was the leading run-getter for the team, mustering 483 runs, including four half-centuries, from 16 games.
CSK will be wary of the batter's purple patch and want their medium pacer Deepak Chahar to send him packing early in the contest. The bowler missed the entire season last year due to a back injury and will have a point to prove to justify the hefty price tag of ₹14 crore.
Chahar, who is considered a great exponent of swing bowling, can put GT under pressure by getting the better of Gill with the new ball. The two have squared off on six occasions in the IPL. Gill has scored 45 runs against Chahar and has been dismissed by him twice.
#2 Hardik Pandya vs Ravindra Jadeja
India's two talismanic all-rounders, Hardik Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja, are expected to play a major role with both bat and ball for GT and CSK, respectively.
Hardik had a dream run last year, which put him back in the reckoning of the national selectors. With 487 runs from 15 games, he was the highest run-scorer for his team. He also contributed significantly with his bowling, bagging eight wickets.
Jadeja, on the other hand, had a topsy-turvy campaign. From relinquishing the captaincy after just eight games to being ruled out due to injury, it proved to be a forgettable campaign for the Saurashtra-born cricketer.
With bragging rights on the line between the two star players, the contest between Hardik and Jadeja will be a mouthwatering one for the viewers.
#1 Rashid Khan vs MS Dhoni
MS Dhoni is all set to make his return with IPL 2023. The tournament could very well be the stalwart's final hurrah. However, the former India skipper might surprise everyone by going for another season as well.
While a number of fans await to witness Dhoni's vintage swashbuckling power-hitting, GT's Rashid Khan could prove to be a spoilsport. The keeper-batter's vulnerability against spinners has been quite evident, especially during the fag end of his career.
Dhoni has been out to leg spinners 19 times in the IPL and has an underwhelming strike rate of 105.56 against them.
Rashid has been in scintillating form with the ball in T20Is. During Afghanistan's third and final T20I of the recently concluded series against Pakistan, he achieved the feat of bowling 100 balls without conceding a boundary.
