Picking GT and CSK's combined playing 11 after IPL 2023

The Gujarat Titans (GT) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) kickstarted the latest edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2023). Eventually, they were the only remaining teams in the tournament as well.

The two teams played each other in the summit clash, with CSK trouncing GT in a last-ball thriller to bag their fifth title.

Despite all 10 teams showing glimpses of quality, GT and CSK dominated throughout the tournament and deservingly qualified for the finals.

The Hardik Pandya-led Titans finished the league campaign as the table-toppers. They won 10 of their 14 league games and excelled in all departments throughout.

Chennai, meanwhile, finished three points behind GT to end up second with 17 points after 14 games. Although they had an inexperienced bowling attack, MS Dhoni led his players remarkably well and made his side as potent as ever.

Almost every player stepped up in one or the other game for both GT and CSK. However, there were certain individuals who stood out and proved to be instrumental in their respective side's success this season.

On that note, here is a combined best XI from both teams based on their IPL 2023 performances.

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Openers: Shubman Gill and Devon Conway

Shubman Gill scored 890 runs in 17 innings [IPLT20]

Ruturaj Gaikwad undoubtedly had a great season, racking up 590 runs. However, Shubman Gill and Devon Conway make the cut to this team due to their consistent performances throughout the campaign.

Gill and Conway were the two best batters for their respective franchises. The former had dream season and won the Orange Cap for piling on 890 runs at an average of just below 60.

He notched up four fifties and three match-winning hundreds and was adjudged as the Player of the Tournament for his dominating display for GT.

Conway, meanwhile, ended the season as the third-highest run-getter with 672 runs at an average of 51.7. In 15 innings for CSK, he registered six fifties and was fantastic in what was only his second-ever IPL season.

Conway also bagged the Player of the Match in the IPL 2023 Finals, courtesy of his vital 25-ball 44.

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Middle order: Sai Sudharshan, Ajinkya Rahane, Shivam Dube

Ajinkya Rahane was terrific for CSK [IPLT20]

The middle-order includes one GT player in B Sai Sudharshan and two CSK stars in Ajinkya Rahane and Shivam Dube.

Despite getting in and out of the first XI, Sudharshan never looked out of form and delivered whenever his side have asked him to deliver. He was decent throughout the tournament, but his knock in the summit clash caught everyone's eyeballs.

Sudharshan clobbered a magnificent 96 off just 47, a knock of great quality and temperament. The left-hander ended the season as GT's third-highest run-getter with 362 runs at an average of above 51 despite playing only eight games.

Meanwhile, Rahane and Dube were unexpected heroes for the Super Kings.

Rahane suddenly found his footing playing for CSK this season and remodeled himself into an aggressive T20 batter. The IPL veteran scored 326 runs across 11 innings for CSK. His phenomenal strike rate of 172.5 was the second-best by any Indian who scored over 200 runs in the tournament.

Dube, meanwhile, was another Indian player who was crucial to CSK's success. The lanky left-hander was used as an enforcer against spin in the middle phase of an innings and the strategy did wonders for the five-time champions.

The 29-year old mustered 419 runs across 14 innings in IPL 2023 and at an average and strike rate of 38.00 and 158.3, respectively. He is the highest run-scoring middle-order batter in this hypothetical team.

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Wicket-keeper and all-rounders: MS Dhoni (c & wk), Ravindra Jadeja and Rashid Khan

MS Dhoni continued to capture the emotions of CSK fans in IPL 2023 [IPLT20]

It's no surprise that MS Dhoni will lead this team. Although Hardik Pandya's leadership skills were on top yet again in IPL 2023, it is hard to look past the Indian legend.

Despite being on the verge of turning 42 next month, Dhoni looked in shape throughout the season. He chipped in with crucial cameos whenever the need arose, but it was shrewd captaincy and mostly solid work behind the stumps that caught the eye.

MSD made 104 runs across 12 innings, often getting just a few balls at the crease, and his strike rate of 182.46 was the highest by any Indian in the tournament. Needless to say, he will also keep wickets for the side.

Ravindra Jadeja, meanwhile, was CSK's hero as he scored the required 10 runs off the last two balls of the final to win them the championship in Ahmedabad.

The 34-year-old was also his side's second-highest wicket-taker in IPL 2023 with 20 scalps across 16 innings. He often kept the run-rate in check, which allowed other bowlers to profit as well.

With the bat, Jadeja 190 runs at a strike rate of 142.7 across 12 innings. He played a couple of crucial cameos towards the end of the season that proved vital to his side's fifth title win.

While Dhoni and Jadeja did not have the most prolific season in terms of the volume of runs scored, their experience and ability always came handy.

Rashid Khan had a superlative IPL 2023 [IPLT20]

At No. 8 is another superstar all-rounder in Rashid Khan. The Afghanistan international enjoyed his best-ever IPL campaign and collected 27 wickets across 17 innings.

The joint-second-highest wicket-taker of the tournament, he was also the only bowler in IPL 2023 to take a hat-trick.

Rashid is not only a world-class spinner but a dangerous commodity with the bat as well. The Mumbai Indians know this all too well as he played one of the best innings in a losing cause in the IPL when he smoked an unbeaten 79 runs off just 32 balls.

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Bowlers: Mohammed Shami, Mohit Sharma and Matheesha Pathirana

GT's Mohammed Shami was the highest wicket-taker of IPL 2023 [IPLT20]

The bowling attack of this hypothetical XI features three pacers in Mohammed Shami, Mohit Sharma and Matheesha Pathirana.

Shami was the best new-ball pacer in the competition, while Mohit and Pathirana were the two best death bowlers throughout.

Shami's great presentation of the seam in the powerplay was a treat to watch as he took as many as 17 wickets inside the first six overs of games alone. Overall, the GT pace head managed to pick up 28 wickets at an average of 18.61 and bagged the Purple Cap in the process.

Mohit, meanwhile, was the perfect redemption story of the tournament. He began as a net bowler for GT last season but showcased his hunger by putting in a sensational display with the ball when he got the chance in IPL 2023.

He was given a certain role of bowling in the death overs, and the veteran pacer did his job remarkably. In only 14 matches, Mohit took 27 wickets at an average of just 13.37 (the best average among bowlers who took 12+ wickets).

Lastly, Pathirana was significant for CSK in IPL 2023 given their lack of death bowling options outside of him. His performances in the latter half of innings and in the final five overs were largely phenomenal right from the start.

MS Dhoni moulded Pathirana into one of the best young players of the season. The Sri Lankan took 19 wickets at a respectable economy rate of of 8.00 across 12 innings.

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Where would this combined playing XI of CSK and GT finish in the IPL points table? Let us know what you think.