3 things CSK need to do right to defeat GT in IPL 2023 final

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) will take on Gujarat Titans (GT) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday, May 28. Four-time champions CSK will be playing in their 10th IPL final. A win will see them equal Mumbai Indians’ (MI) record of five IPL title wins.

Chennai began their IPL 2023 campaign with a five-wicket loss to Gujarat in Ahmedabad on March 31. However, they came up with some highly impressive performances in subsequent matches to stay in the first half of the points table. They sealed their playoff berth with a comprehensive 77-run win over Delhi Capitals (DC) in their last league game to finish second in the points table (17 points).

The MS Dhoni-led side became the first team to confirm their place in the IPL 2023 final when they defeated Gujarat Titans by 15 runs in Qualifier 1 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. CSK used their home advantage the last time the two sides met, but the challenge will be of a different level when they come up against the same opponent in Ahmedabad.

As CSK prepare to take on GT in the IPL 2023 final, we analyze three things that Dhoni and Co. need to do right to lift the trophy for a fifth time.

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#1 CSK must get Shubman Gill out cheaply

GT opener Shubman Gill has been in astonishing form in IPL 2023. In 16 matches, he has clobbered 851 runs at an average of 60.78 and a strike rate of 156.43. What is even scarier for the opposition is Gill’s performance in matches leading up to the final. The 23-year-old has smashed three hundreds in IPL 2023, with all of those have come in the last four innings.

His maiden IPL century came against SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) in Ahmedabad, when he scored 101 off 58 balls. In the very next match against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), he remained unbeaten on 104 off 52 balls as GT chased down 198 to end RCB’s hopes of reaching the playoffs. Another ton against Mumbai in Ahmedabad (129 off 60) in Qualifier 2 ended Mumbai Indians’ IPL 2023 campaign.

Of the last four innings, the only time he was dismissed under 100 was when he scored 42 off 38 against CSK in Qualifier 1 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium. Despite his brilliant form, even Gill struggled on a slow surface at Chepauk as GT faltered in a chase of 173.

Conditions in Ahmedabad will be a lot more batting-friendly, making Gill all the more dangerous. CSK will have to find a way to knock over the GT opener early. Deepak Chahar, who can swing the ball in the powerplay, seems to be their best bet. If Gill gets going, Chennai could be in big trouble.

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#2 Not lose early wickets against Mohammed Shami

Many experts reckon the battle between CSK’s openers and GT lead pacer Mohammed Shami could be one of the defining factors of the IPL 2023 final.

While Ruturaj Gaikwad and Devon Conway have given Chennai excellent starts with the bat, there has hardly been a game where Mohammed Shami hasn’t picked up early wickets for Gujarat.

While Conway has scored 625 runs in 15 matches at an average of 52.08 and a strike rate of 137.06, with six fifties, Gaikwad has contributed 564 runs, averaging 43.38 at a strike rate of 146.87. The right-handed batter has four half-centuries to his credit. CSK will be looking forward to another solid start from the opening duo to calm the nerves in the dugout.

Speaking of Shami’s performances in IPL 2023, he is the leading wicket-taker with 28 scalps in 16 games at an average of 17.60 and an economy rate of 7.95. Even in Qualifier 2, the GT pacer dismissed openers Rohit Sharma and Nehal Wadhera cheaply to put MI on the back foot.

When the two finalists met in Qualifier 1, Conway and Gaikwad were successful in negating the early threat of Shami, adding 87 for the first wicket in 10.3 overs. CSK will be hoping for an encore from their opening pair in the IPL 2023 final.

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#3 Tackle the Rashid-Noor threat smartly

The threat for CSK in the final will not end with Shami. Even if they manage to tackle him successfully, their batters will have to deal with GT’s dual spin threat of Rashid Khan and Noor Ahmad. While the former himself is a handful for opposition batters on his day, Noor's inclusion has sharpened the GT spin attack even further.

As always, Rashid has been excellent with the ball and is only behind Shami among the leading wicket-takers in IPL 2023. In 16 matches, he has 27 wickets at an average of 18.81 and an economy rate of 7.93.

Left-arm wrist-spinner Noor has also made his presence felt, picking up 14 wickets in 12 games, averaging 25.14 at an economy rate of 7.96.

Since Rashid and Noor are expected to bowl eight of the 20 overs during CSK’s innings in the final, the batting side cannot be overcautious against the duo. At the same time, they cannot be overaggressive as well since it could cost them key wickets.

The challenge for Chennai’s batters would be to strike a fine balance, which they did efficiently in Qualifier 1.