POBNEWS24, Dhaka May 28, 2023 : Where it begins, it ends there. The current season of IPL started in Ahmedabad, with Chennai Super Kings and Gujarat Titans match. Today the last episode is going to be staged in that Ahmedabad, the Kushilab of the final is Chennai and Gujarat!
Chennai have previously won the IPL title four times, which is the second highest. A win against Gujarat will equal Mumbai Indians’ five-time title at home in Chennai. The Gujarat franchise starts in the 2022 season. The team, which won the championship in its debut season, is eyeing a second title in a row. If they win today, Gujarat will become the third team after Chennai and Mumbai to win two consecutive IPL titles.
Chennai-Gujarat face off
Chennai and Gujarat met twice in this year’s IPL. While Gujarat won the first match , Chennai won the first qualifier. In all, these two teams have met four times in the IPL. Gujarat won 3, Chennai won 1.
Highest runs and wickets
Ruturaj Gaikwad scored the highest 278 runs in the match between Chennai and Gujarat. The Chennai batsman has scored fifty runs in 4 matches against Gujarat. On the other hand, Gujarat’s highest score against Chennai was Shubman Gill (123). Mohammad Shami owns the highest wicket in the match between the two teams. Gujarat pacer took 7 wickets. Mahish Tiksana, Mathisha Pathirana and Ravindra Jadeja took maximum 4 wickets each for Chennai against Gujarat.
Chennai-Gujarat to Ahmedabad
Chennai is yet to win in Ahmedabad. This is the only stadium where Dhoni’s team has not won at least three matches. On the other hand, it is Gujarat’s home ground. Here, Hardik Pandya’s team won 6 out of 9 matches.
Highest run scorer
Shubman Gill’s name is now on everyone’s lips. Not only Gujarat, but the Indian batsman is the highest run-scorer of the current season of IPL with 851 runs. He is the fourth cricketer in the history of IPL to score more than 800 runs in a single season. Earlier this feat was held by Virat Kohli, David Warner and Jos Buttler.
If Gujarat has Gill, Chennai has Ruturaj. Not only against the favorite opponent Gujarat, this Indian opener is in great form in this IPL. Ruturaj has scored 564 runs at an average of 43 and a strike rate of about 147 in this season. Another opener Devon Conway is also in great form. Chennai’s highest run in this tournament is Devon Conway. 625 at an average of 52 and a strike rate of 137 in 15 matches.
Highest wicket taker
What Gill is doing for Gujarat with the bat, Mohammed Shami is doing it with the ball. Shami has taken the maximum 28 wickets of this IPL season. However, he is not alone, the first three in the list of highest wicket takers in IPL are from Gujarat. After Shami, Afghan spinner Rashid Khan (27) and Indian pacer Mohit Sharma (24) are in this list. Tushar Deshpande’s highest wicket in this tournament for Chennai. This cricketer who has not yet made his debut for India has taken 21 wickets. Ravindra Jadeja’s wicket is 19.
Chennai and Gujarat in the final
Chennai have played the final 9 times so far. Their highest run scorer there is Suresh Raina. This former Indian cricketer scored 249 runs in the final. Chennai’s highest wicket in the final was Dwayne Bravo, 10. Both are not in this year’s final. Gujarat have played the final only once—Gile’s top score, 45. Most wickets by Pandya, 3.
where similar
Chennai has developed a culture of its own in the IPL. Not making too many changes in the team, consistently giving opportunities to any cricketer is their characteristic. That is why the failed cricketers of other teams are seen to be successful in Chennai. Let’s take the case of Shivam Dub. Dubey, who failed at Rajasthan Royals and Royal Challengers Bangalore, seems to have changed himself after enrolling in Chennai. In fact he has changed himself, not so; Chennai have made him a key player in the team by giving him opportunities.
This all-rounder is one of the most important cricketers of Chennai in this year’s IPL. In three seasons of IPL for two other teams, Dubey never managed to score more than 130 at a strike rate. But for Chennai this season his strike rate is around 160, scored 386 runs.
Last season his strike rate was 156, runs 289. Chennai has given a new ‘life’ to Ajinkya Rahane, who has become a brat in the IPL. Rahane scored 299 runs for Chennai in 13 innings at a strike rate of around 170. Chennai did not make any changes in the team 9 times out of 14 matches of the league stage.
Gujarat is also following much the same strategy. Hardik Pandya’s side have kept the team unchanged the second most times after Chennai in the league stage. Cricketers like Wriddhiman Saha, Vijay Shankar, whose efficacy in T20 cricket was questionable, have consistently been given opportunities and performed in Gujarat. This season Vijay Shankar has 301 runs, average around 38, strike rate 160. Wriddhiman runs 317 with Gill, strike rate around 128.
Dhoni and Pandya
Dhoni is arguably the best captain in the IPL. Known as ‘Captain Cool’, this captain can keep the team steady in any situation. Hardik Pandya as a captain is also like this. A few days ago, legendary cricketer Sunil Gavaskar said that Pandya’s captaincy on the field reminded him of Dhoni.
Who is the record holder?
* Gill needs 123 runs to break Virat Kohli’s record of highest runs (973) in IPL history.
* If Shami gets 5 wickets in the final, he will set a new record for highest wickets in a tournament.
28 and 0
Chennai bowlers who have not made their debut in international cricket have 28 wickets and 0 runs for batsmen.
