IPL 2024, CSK vs GT: Decoding key player battles
Gujarat Titans and Chennai Super Kings are gearing up to cross swords in Match 7 of the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL). Both sides have clinched their respective season openers and want to add two more points to their tally. Notably, CSK beat GT in an absolute thriller in the 2023 IPL final. Here we decode the key player battles.
Shubman Gill vs Deepak Chahar
Known for his ability to swing the new ball, Deepak Chahar will look to make early inroads. He will have the onus to dismiss GT skipper Shubman Gill early. The batter enjoyed a dream IPL 2023 and would want to replicate his heroics. Meanwhile, Chahar has dismissed Gill thrice in nine IPL meetings, conceding 71 runs off 52 balls.
Shivam Dube vs Rashid Khan
Shivam Dube and Rashid Khan might tussle in the middle overs of CSK's innings. Dube's strike rate of 176.47 versus spin last season was third-best among batters with 50-plus runs against spinners. Meanwhile, Rashid bowled an economical spell (0/23) in GT's opener against MI. The leg-spinner is yet to dismiss Dube. He has conceded 21 runs off 15 balls against him.
Ruturaj Gaikwad vs Umesh Yadav
Umesh Yadav will look to make the new ball talk against CSK. His battle with the new CSK captain Ruturaj Gaikwad would be enticing. The opener has fallen prey to Umesh once in the IPL, having scored 12 runs off as many deliveries in this battle. Umesh's tally of 53 powerplay wickets is the fourth-highest for any player in IPL history.
David Miller vs Ravindra Jadeja
Ravindra Jadeja has been brilliant in the middle overs and he will have the onus to keep David Miller quiet. The GT dasher has bossed the battle so far, having smashed Jadeja for 111 runs in IPL at a strike rate of 165.67. Miller, however, has fallen to the left-arm spinner twice across 11 meetings.
Pitch report and match details
Chennai's MA Chidambaram Stadium will host this duel on March 26 (7:30pm IST). Spinners will enjoy bowling here and the pacers will look to provide variations to gain maximum impetus. As far as batters are concerned, they will have to score runs from the relatively low bounce. One can watch the match live on the Star Sports Network and stream the same on JioCinema.
