“Wonder whether that was at the back of their minds” - Tom Moody reckons playoff loss against CSK could have impacted GT in IPL 2023 final 

Former Australian all-rounder Tom Moody has stated that Gujarat Titans’ (GT) loss to Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in Qualifier 1 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 might have impacted them in the final.

CSK beat GT by 15 runs in Qualifier 1 of IPL 2023 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium. This was Chennai’s first-ever win over Gujarat after three losses. The two teams crossed paths in the final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. MS Dhoni’s men again emerged triumphant, defeating the Titans by five wickets (via the DLS method).

Speaking to ESPNcricinfo, Moody said that he was surprised to see Gujarat go down in the summit clash of IPL 2023.

Sharing his thoughts about the game, he stated:

“I must admit I was surprised to see GT lose this final. They were my favorites going into it. They had most bases covered in all departments; their batting so strong and diverse and deep. Their bowling the same; two great spinners, they had pace all sorted out. They were also probably the most consistent side throughout the whole season, winning the most amount of games.”

On the psychological impact of Gujarat’s loss to Chennai in Qualifier 1, the 57-year-old added:

“I just wonder whether the first game in the playoffs against Chennai, where they lost that game so significantly, was still at the back of their minds - playing against a side that they knew that had just beaten them up recently. Whether that is something that was still at the back of their heads or just on the night, two-horse race, they just didn’t get it right.

“Chennai had their eye on the target and found themselves lifting another trophy.”

Sent into bat after losing the toss, GT put up 214/4 on the board in their 20 overs. CSK’s target was revised to 171 in 15 overs due to rain, with Chennai clinching the final off the last ball.

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“Their bowling dominance” - Moody on the most impressive aspect of GT’s IPL 2023 campaign

While reviewing Gujarat Titans’ performance in IPL 2023, Moody picked their dominance in bowling as the standout aspect of their campaign.

The former all-rounder said:

"The most defining moment is their bowling dominance. You only have to look at the wicket-takers in the whole IPL and look at who heads the list. Led by Mohammed Shami, you’ve got Rashid Khan right up there. You’ve got Mohit Sharma right up there. That in itself tells you a lot. It tells you that they are dominating with the ball. They are a very hard nut to crack.”

Shami won the Purple Cap in IPL 2023 for claiming 28 wickets, while Rashid and Mohit finished with 27 scalps each.