GT vs CSK IPL 2023 Highlights: Gujarat Titans defeat Chennai Super Kings by 5 wickets

Hardik Pandya: Obviously very happy. We did put ourselves in a difficult situation but Rahul and Rashid did very well. We were happy at the mid-innings because at one point they looked like getting 200, but we got those couple of wickets to pull things back. Having this Impact rule makes my job difficult. I have too many options, and because of this someone will bowl less. This game I realised bowling hard lengths was the way to go, that's why Alzarri bowled late. Having Rashid is a real asset, he will get you wickets and get you some runs late down the order as well. But today my shot and Shubman's shot wasn't the best, we need to do better to ensure we don't put the responsibility on these guys lower down.

Shubman Gill: Felt pretty good. Little bit disappointed with myself for getting out. But getting off to a good start is very important for the team. Definitely makes a difference when you've got runs under your belt at International level. Wicket is so good as a batsman. Don't have to overhit, just have to time it well and it flies. No specific roles given to us. It's just about who gets set. We have to play the situation. Today we were chasing not a very high score, but a high-ish total. So the intent from Wriddhi bhai was to get as many runs as possible in the powerplay.

Sriram Veera: Just after the toss, as MS Dhoni sauntered towards his camp, he heard a voice and stopped. Rahul Tewatia ran in to shake hands, hug, smile, and a short chat bubbled up between them. There was Tewatia again in the last over with another finishing job though admittedly Rashid Khan had eased his work with a six and a four in the penultimate over. Needing 8, Tewatia was served up one full and well outside off - admittedly his weaker region but Tewatia wasn’t going to waste that half volley. The ball was thrown from extra cover boundary. Next ball, he creamed it to the straight boundary, and stood there, arms stretched - it was his version of ‘what was the fuss? I am there na to finish’.

MS Dhoni: "We were slightly short. Another 15-20 runs would have been good. We all know there would be a little bit of dew. Also it was a 7.30pm start so the ball holds on a little early on. Also we could have batted properly in the middle overs as opposed to trying to muscle the ball. Rutu is a pleasure to watch. He has groomed himself very well, and makes the eight decisions under pressure. We can't afford to bowl no-balls. That is something in our control."

Tushar Deshpande to bowl the last one. A wide to start off. Another one down the off, met on the half volley from Tewatia, who smacks it over wide long off for a six. The next is right down the middle and smack down the ground from 'Sultanate Sharjah' as Graeme Swann calls him and Gujarat have finished this with five wickets in hand. The defending champions start off with a win!

Deepak Chahar on for his last over. Slides one down the leg side, Tewatia only gets his pad onto it and it goes beyond MS Dhoni down the long leg for four. Later in the over, Chahar serves one to Rashid Khan in the slot. A smack over deep mid-wicket for a mammoth six. A short-ish delivery met down the track and edged over the third man, who's inside the circle for a four. Gujarat seem on the verge here. Eight needed off the last over.

Right then, this is quite the matchup. Rajvardhan Hangargekar has got two wickets tonight but has went for runs. On strike, Rahul Tewatia. Two dots to start off and a slash down mid off forcing the southpaw to rotate midway through the over. And it works in Gujarat's favor as Vijay Shankar slots a short one off the right-arm quick into the orbit. A wide one down the off follows. Vijay Shankar, after quite the deliberation with his partner at the non-striker's end, goes for a review. The third umpire has looked through it thoroughly, not a wide. The next one is miscued to long off. A FINE CATCH FROM MITCHELL SANTNER AND IT IS GAME ON! Gujarat, 156/5.

Sriram Veera: In a hilarious sequence of events, both Devon Conway and Ben Stokes left the ball for each other to stop. With 39 runs to win, Vijay Shankar forced Mitch Santner to the cover boundary where Devon and Ben converged. And watched. They were close to each other, the ball was in the middle of them, and both thought the other guy can take it. In the end, they just kept watching as the ball fled over the ropes.

Deepak Chahar into his second spell, delivers a fantastic third over. Just the four runs off it. Gujarat have strength to pull the chase off but they're not done with it yet. Crucial to see if MS Dhoni hangs on to his three quicks to see this off or does he bring in a surprise entrant to see this off. What are we even blabbering, it's obviously going to be the former. 149/4 after 17 overs.

Rahul Tewatia joins Vijay Shankar in the middle. He's seen through a couple of remarkable IPL chases, hasn't he? The latter slaps a slower one off Mitchell Santner between deep extra cover and long off. Huge miscommunication between Devon Conway and Ben Stokes there at the boundary. The ball goes between them and beyond the ropes. Gujarat, 145/4 after 16 overs. Umpire signals for the strategic timeout. 34 needed off 24 deliveries.

Deshpande, the Impact Player for CSK removes the danger man. Gill caught by the fielder at deep mid wicket running in. Gujarat, 138/4 after 15 overs.

Shubman Gill seems to have mastered that unique short arm jab of his. Picks Tushar Deshpande for a maximum over deep mid-wicket. Here's what Sriram Veera wrote on the time he played the same in India's whites off Mitchell Starc earlier this month at the same venue.

Rajvardhan Hangargekar comes on for his third over. Bangs in short to Vijay Shankar, pulled left of fine leg for four. A slower bouncer to Shubman Gill, down fine leg for another one. A first no-ball review in IPL history follows. From Shubman Gill. The third umpire's check reveals he's down the track while going for this shot. 127/3 after 14 overs.

"Oh nice!" goes MS Dhoni behind the stumps as Ravindra Jadeja brings on in to Hardik Pandya, straightens up on pitching actually, to hit the top of off. The Gujarat captain has completely missed that sweep shot. 111 was the score after all. 114/3 after 13 overs.

The Gujarat opener who whacked a six to win the Titans their first IPL season has almost picked off from the same night. But we all know how big he has been in the time between. A fifty for Gill in the first match of the season. 111/2, Gujarat after 12 overs.

Shubman Gill seems to have snapped following that wicket. For Gujarat's own good. A sweep fine on the leg side for four. A dancing down the track slap six straight over long off for six. "He's no longer Shubman Gill. He's baby GOAT in my eyes," goes former KKR captain Eoin Morgan in the comm box. 100 up for Gujarat. 106/2 after 11 overs.

Rajvardhan Hangargekar provides CSK with a second wicket. A good length, outside the off stump delivery is edged and Sai Sudharsan is caught behind by MS Dhoni. Good over for CSK. Four runs off it. Gujarat, 93/2 at the halfway stage.

Not just frequent boundaries, the strike rotation has been on point as well from Gujarat with most deliveries accounting for runs. CSK have had a couple of moments in the fielding department but haven't been able to put pressure on the Gujarat batters using the same. Speaking of good fielding moments though, how about that dive from Devon Conway at third man. Slides on his back and parries the ball away with his feet, just in time before he elbows the rope. 89/1, Gujarat after nine overs.

That Wriddhiman Saha wicket has barely put a dent in Gujarat's chase. The run rate is still above eight. A pull from Sai Sudharsan over through mid-wicket for four. A crunchy chip over extra cover from Shubman Gill for another. 11 come off that Mitchell Santner over. Gujarat, 82/1 after eight overs and the umpire signals for a strategic timeout.

CSK need wickets and on comes their star left-arm all-rounder to try his luck from the other end. Ravindra Jadeja comes on and is left furious by the end of that first over. A misfield from the wicket taker, Rajvardhan Hangargekar to give away two runs off a possibly tight single. Six off that over, Gujarat are 71/1 after seven overs. 

Just the five off his initial five deliveries from Mitchell Santner in his first over. Just offers the most marginal of widths to Shubman Gill, who doesn't need another invitation in this kind of form. Makes room outside the leg stump, cuts it through point for four. 65/1 after six overs. End of powerplay.

In a way, both the Impact Players have impacted the game so far. Deshpande hasn't been able to find his footings. Concedes a no ball into his second over. Gets orbitted into the stands behind wide long on off the free hit. SHUBMAN GILL, YOU BEAUTY! 15 runs off the over. Fifty up for Gujarat. 56/1 after five overs.

The umpire signals for Impact Player from the Gujarat Titans' end. Sai Sudharsan has replaced Kane Williamson in this innings after the latter got injured in the first innings. And the southpaw from Tamil Nadu makes an impact straightaway. A flick in front of square on the onside for a four. 41/1 after four overs.

2022 U-19 World Cup sensation, Rajvardhan Hangargekar replaces Tushar Deshpande and induces an lbw appeal first up. A front foot no ball follows. "This has been a serious issue with him," says Robin Uthappa, who was part of the CSK squad last season. A wide and a boundary off the next deliveries and the right arm quick has been derailed early in the innings. A straight face from MS Dhoni behind the stumps won't tell you a lot but the scorecard graphic below will. The four-time champions need wickets to defend 179 on this track. AND HANGARGEKAR GIVES THEM EXACTLY THE SAME! A wicket for him in his first IPL over and what a catch behind at third man from Shivam Dube, Gujarat are 37/1.

Deepak Chahar continues from the other end. With singles off every other delivery, Saha takes a chance on the penultimate delivery. A pull over deep square leg for six. 29/0 after three overs.

Tushar Deshpande, the first Impact Player introduced in the IPL history comes on from the other end. And Wriddhiman Saha goes after the medium pacer from ball one. A top edge off a swipe that goes behind over third man for a six. Another short one follows, this time met with a clean pull through mid-wicket for four. Shubman Gill though, plays the stroke of the over. A jab through the mid-wicket region, transfers his weight on the front foot to get the ball beyond the boundary. 15 runs off the over. 18/0 after two.

Chahar in the first over, grabs edges off both the openers and deceives Shubaman Gill coming down the track with an inswinger. A good first over to start off. Three runs off that first over. 3/0, Gujarat. 

Just before that (would be) first delivery from Deepak Chahar, Robin Uthappa, a former CSK player himself, spoke on air of his former teammate's superstition. "He doesn't bowl that first ball. He does the run up, but doesn't bowl." Which is exactly what the right armer does. "Spot on," exclaim his co-commentators.

The CSK players form a huddle around their captain for a pre-innings pep talk. Meanwhile, Gujarat openers Shubman Gill and Wriddiman Saha make way into the middle. Deepak Chahar, per usual, handed the new ball. Can get whatever movement is there in the offering for these initial overs. Here we go!

Devendra Pandey (at venue): CSK players had to halt their mid innings warm up session as a drone show and laser show played out during the innings break.

Moeen Ali: It's a score which is great to have. Little disappointed. Should've got 15-20 more. Ruturaj was outstanding. It was a decent pitch once you went through your first 5-6 balls. Chennai support has always been outstanding. When I was batting, it felt like the loudest crowd I've experienced in my career.

They were waiting for it. They've got it. MS Dhoni graces the IPL 2023 opener and the 1,00,000 plus crowd at the Narendra Modi Stadium with a six over over deep mid wicket. "We've seen that so many times," says the former CSK man Scott Styris on air. "Cometh the hour, cometh the man," reads the message on the big screen. Josh Little serves a good length delivery down the middle stump to the CSK captain, who graciously flicks it square of the wicket for four. Good change up from the left-armer off the next one, keeping it wide down the off side from over the wicket. A single off the last ball. CSK finish at 178/7.

Tushar Bhaduri: Shivam Dube has been around the circuit long enough, with a reputation of being a big hitter in domestic cricket. But oppositions have long caught on to his Achilles heel – short balls directed at the left-hander's body from pace bowlers. It has been the case for a few seasons now, probably the reason why he hasn't had sustained success in the IPL. On Friday as well, as soon as he got in after Ambati Rayudu, Gujarat Titans knew where to bowl at him. It seems Dube himself knew what the line of attack will be, but was powerless to counter it. It put all the more pressure on the on-song Ruturaj Gaikwad, who was flaying it to all parts till then, as the Chennai Super Kings run rate suffered. It finally brought about Gaikwad's downfall. Scoring just 9 off his first 13 balls, when the innings was in the final three overs isn't what the doctor ordered for the four-time champions. In hindsight, maybe, Ravindra Jadeja or MS Dhoni would have been better options in that situation. All it proved was that Dube had not evolved his game to thwart the bowlers' plans. One needs to constantly improve to make it to the next level.

Mitchell Santner comes in the middle to accompany his captain. A fine last over from Shami. Despite that six. 10 off it. CSK are 165/7 at the end of the 19th over with Dhoni retaining the strike. 200 is surely off the cards but can CSK get to the 180 mark?

Mohammed Shami comes on for his last over. Bangs in a short one and Shivam Dube, who's looked scrappy in the middle miscues a hook shot. A good run back towards the third man from Wriddhiman Saha, who just falls short of completing one of the catches of the tournament. On matchday one. 

The southpaw finds a connection off his next whack. A pull shot off another short one. Sails over the deep mid wicket for six. Fresh off it, Shami sticks to the length and Dube goes for the pull, only to be caught by Rashid Khan. Chennai seven down for 163.

Newly into the middle, Ravindra Jadeja goes for one of his signature shots over deep mid wicket but it carries straight to the fielder at boundary. Chennai are six down for 153 and the venue is at an all time loud. You know who is coming on to bat.

Ruturaj Gaikwad (92 off 50) departs off the first ball of Alzarri Joseph's last over. Caught off what seemed like a waist high full toss. A review follows but he is deemed out nevertheless. Chennai five down for 151.

Rashid Khan comes on for the last time this innings. The spin wizard has been the most successful Gujarat bowler on the night and with the run flow sealed over the past couple of overs, Pandya ain't wrong in bringing him on for a wicket here. Gaikwad though, hammers him for a six off the first delivery. Enters the 90s. 150 up for CSK. 151/4 after 17 overs.

Shivam Dube has looked iffy in his shot selection so far. Even off the short ones, the pull shot has come out with a bit of hesitation and without timing for it to travel beyond the 30-yard circle. Joseph has nailed his bowling selection to the southpaw so far. The latter slices one through the covers but Shubman Gill gives it a chase and just the two runs come. Seven off the over, Chennai are 140/4 after 16 overs.

Sriram Veera: Kane Williamson landed in India on a high, with match-winning hundreds, last-ball finishes, and what not in the Tests against England and Sri Lanka. Unfortunately, his IPL stint with the defending champions Gujarat Titans seems to be in jeopardy as he suffered a nasty leg injury while fielding. In trying to pull back a ball headed for six, hit by Ruturaj Gaikwad, he did most things right at deep square-leg. First, he palmed off the ball, even as he jumped in the air beyond the boundary and this is where things started to go wrong. He landed awkwardly, outside the boundary, and had to give up any attempt of getting back in play to finish the catch as his leg had given way. Down he went, clutching his leg and lay writhing in pain. His injury moment got a gif-like air-play as the replays looped forward and back, trying to determine if it was six or four. It was a four. He couldn’t even get up and hobble off for a few balls. He needed the support of the physio and team-mates as he slowly withdrew from the arena. “It doesn’t look good,” Gujarat’s head coach Gary Kirsten would tell the broadcasters.

Hardik Pandya is making use of that slight shift in the momentum following the strategic timeout break. Both he and Alzarri Joseph had gone big in their initial overs and so, with Joseph giving only four off his second, why not give it a go from the other end. Shivam Dube is yet to find his feet but a ball down the leg stump helps him to flick one down long leg for four. That'll help. Eight come off the over. 133/4 after 15 overs.

End of another strategic time out. "It certainly didn't look good," says Gary Kirsten from the Gujarat Titans dugout on that Kane Williamson injury. Alzarri Joseph on for his second over. Keeps that line tight, short and away from Shivam Dube. Fine over that. Just the four runs come off it. CSK are 125/4 after 14 overs.

And for all the thrashing he's received from the man at the other end, Josh Little marks his IPL debut for Gujarat Titans with a wicket. Amazing sight to witness. The middle stumps standing and the off the leg on the ground. Rayudu went down the track to target the bowler but missed it altogether. CSK, 121/4 after 13 overs.

Josh Little into his third over. Over the wicket to Gaikwad, pitched around the pads and picked up by Gaikwad nicely to pilot it over deep mid wicket. Kane Williamson at boundary does well to save two runs, almost keeping it away from the boundary, but gets himself horribly injured. The New Zealand international is receiving the treatment from the medics now. 

Tushar Bhaduri: At a time when part-time wicketkeepers like KL Rahul are considered the go-to option in T20 cricket, Wriddhiman Saha proved the value of a specialist behind the stumps. It hasn't been too long since the Bengal stumper was considered the best in the business in the country, before Rishabh Pant's explosiveness with the bat made him too irresistible an option to ignore. Saha's catches, standing up to the stumps, to the quickish leg-spin of Rashid Khan showed he had lost little of his prowess to the advancing years. The deflections off the bats of Moeen Ali and Ben Stokes would have given less accomplished glovemen lot of trouble, but Saha pouched both chances nonchalantly. Saha even has a century in an IPL final to his name, but his returns with the bat in recent seasons have gone down, prompting doubts over his spot in the XI.
But with the Impact Player rule introduced in this edition, teams actually have the option to play their best wicketkeeper while bowling first, and sub him out if he doesn't score at a desired pace. One has to wait and watch to find out if teams look at this avenue to optimise their resources.

Gaikwad looks in no mood to stop. Normally a slow starter, the right hander has had his foot on the throttle very much from the word, 'go'. Yash Dayal comes in to bowl his first over and is sent back into the stands from Gaikwad. A clean shot over long off. Even the fans can't grab onto one of his hits tonight. Rayudu joins the act. A pick up shot off the last delivery that goes all the way. 114/3 after 12 overs.

"Looks so good, doesn't he," blurts out Robin Uthappa on air. This, on CSK's Ruturaj Gaikwad. "His head looks so still!" That's been one of traits of the right-handed opener that has earned him plaudits in his early years. 

Meanwhile, Josh Little looks to have made a fine comeback with the ball. Giving away 15 runs off his first over, he concedes only one off his first five balls in the second. But, Gaikwad spoils it for the left-armer. A pull shot for another maximum to wrap up the over and bring 100 up for CSK. 100/3 after 11 overs.

Devendra Pandey: Ruturaj Gaikwad's superb run in Ahmedabad continues. Last time he played in the 50 over Vijay Hazare Trophy for Maharashtra, Gaikwad had scored three hundreds. It was the yellow jersey of Maharashtra back then.  Now it’s the CSK yellow in which he opened the campaign to get a half century with three boundaries and six sixes already at a strike rate over 200.

A largely calm and fearless tactician in the middle, Hardik Pandya has been on search for answers pretty much from the beginning of this innings. At first it was after he gave away two boundaries off his first over. Then, with both Little and Shami going for a combined off 32 runs in back to back overs in the powerplay. Now, Ruturaj Gaikwad has forced him to go with Rashid Khan for a third straight over. The CSK opener though, looks in no hurry to target the main man for Gujarat with the ball. Just the three runs off the 10th over. Still, CSK look at a formiddable spot. 93/3.

Ruturaj Gaikwad brings up his first fifty of the season. Off 23 deliveries. Brings it with a pick up shot to deep mid wicket for a six. MASSIVE over for CSK. Three maximums off it. Alzarri Joseph holds the best bowling figures in IPL history. But he has not started off on a pleasant note in IPL 2023. 18 runs off his first over. CSK, 90/3 after nine overs.

Rashid Khan on for a second over. And produces a carbon copy dismissal. Slight width offered to the southpaw and caught behind by Wriddhiman Saha. Eight runs come off the over. 72/3, CSK after eight overs.

"What a show this is!....It's an extension of a cover drive," exclaims Eoin Morgan as Ruturaj Gaikwad lofts Hardik Pandya over covers for an exquisite maximum. But hang on, there's a check here for whether the ball hit the spider cam on its way beyond the boundary. Right then, confirmation from the third umpire. Six it is. The next one, Gaikwad with another flourishing shot this evening for six over long on. 13 off the over. 64/2 after seven overs.

Sriram Veera: Rashid Khan vs Moeen Ali was a lovely little tease act. Last week, a stat went around the cricketing world: across six T20Is, Rashid Khan bowled 106 consecutive deliveries without conceding a single boundary. But Moeen seemed in mood to be the killjoy. The first one was on a length and turned in to beat the attempted sweep but it caught a bit of the glove. They curtailed the lbw appeal. Moeen charged out next ball but Khan was ready with a googly and Moeen couldn’t beat mid-off. Rashid went back to the first ball for his third delivery, this time no glove and no bat either on the sweep and the umpire gives it out. But DRS showed it landed just outside leg stump. Moeen crashed the next one past Rashid. Would the bowler be rattled now? Not when his name is Rashid. He bowled it fuller and outside off, Moeen tried to crash the slider but got the edge. Somehow Wriddhiman Saha pouched it, pads together, hands in place in right time. For five balls, Moeen was after him and was successful just once.

Tushar Bhaduri: It was a big moment for Irish cricket – Josh Little becoming the first Irish cricketer to play in the most high-profile T20 league in the world. He would have been full of excitement at being told that he was part of the Gujarat Titans starting line-up. His family back home would have gathered round a TV or a streaming service, depending on where one could watch the IPL.
But the tall left-arm pacer's initiation was anything but auspicious. His first delivery, a short one on the batsman's body, was pulled by Ruturaj Gaikwad over fine leg for a 64m six. The next one gave the right-hander too much width and was flayed to the cover boundary. The third ball was a decent one, and would have been a dot, but for skipper Hardik Pandya's misfield at mid-on.
But Little's ordeal was not over. After a dot ball, Moeen Ali smashed the fifth one through the off-side for another four. The first Irish over in the IPL went for 15 runs. Little could be forgiven for feeling deflated, and the captain did him a favour by taking him off after just six balls.

Slightly wider from Rashid Khan to Moeen Ali and the southpaw nicks it behind for Wriddhiman Saha to complete the catch. Wicket number two for Gujarat! Ben Stokes arrives in the middle. A single to wrap up the over. Fifty up for CSK. End of the powerplay. 51/2 after six overs.

In their desperation after two expensive overs (a combined of 32 runs off them) turn to their star spinner. Rashid Khan introduced in the last over of the powerplay and almost bags a wicket as he leaves Moeen Ali clueless as the southpaw goes for the horizontal shot off the leggie. The next one is even closer and the umpire has raised his fingers. CSK go upstairs for a review. No bat involved. But the ball has pitched outside the leg stump. No wicket. Off the next ball, Moeen advances down the crease to smash Rashid down the ground for four. What an over this has been so far!

A cracking delivery to get his 1⃣0⃣0⃣th IPL wicket 🔥🔥@MdShami11 picks the first wicket of #TATAIPL 2023!

Follow the match ▶️ https://t.co/61QLtsnj3J#GTvCSK pic.twitter.com/hN0qgJ2rFo

— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) March 31, 2023

With only three runs conceded off his first two overs and a wicket in his bag, Mohammed Shami returns for a third over in the powerplay. CSK have moved to their trustworthy number three over the past couple of seasons following that early wicket of Devon Conway. And Moeen Ali goes for his second boundary off the last two overs. A spicy cover drive off just the most marginal of widths offered. Shami loses his length off the next one. The ball slips off his hands and whiskers past Ali's helmet. No ball signalled. A whack towards the wide long off on the free hit. SIX! Finishes the over with a pull off a short one. This one has been a big over. Biggest so far. 17 off it. 46/1 after five overs.

Gaikwad has opened up, alright! Josh Little comes in, and the CSK opener hooks him behind for a maximum. First of the game, first of the season. "Welcome to the IPL, Mr. Little," goes AB de Villiers. "Welcome to the big league," goes Scott Styris. Next up, too much width offered outside off and Gaikwad latches onto it between the cover and point region for a four. But that's not it. Moeen Ali splices a back off a length delivery through the covers for another four. 15 off the over. CSK are 29/1 after four overs.