Defending champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) will take on Gujarat Giants (GT) in Match 7 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Tuesday, March 26. The Super Kings will take on the team they defeated in last season’s final to clinch their fifth IPL trophy, Gujarat Titans (GT). In the IPL 2024 opener, CSK defeated RCB by six wickets and they will hope to continue their winning momentum with the win against GT.
On the other hand, last season’s losing finalists, Gujarat Titans, started their IPL 2024 campaign on a high after beating Mumbai Indians by six runs at the Narendra Modi Stadium on March 24.
Let’s take a look at both sides’ predicted XIs ahead of this highly anticipated match.
CSK predicted XI
Ruturaj Gaikwad (captain)
CSK skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad had a disappointing outing with the bat against RCB. Chasing 174, Gaikwad could only contribute 15 runs at Chepauk. The right-handed batsman has amassed 1,812 IPL runs in 53 matches so far.
Rachin Ravindra
New Zealand all-rounder Rachin Ravindra will partner Gaikwad at the top. The Kiwi left-hander had a memorable IPL debut when Rachin hit a 15-ball 37 against RCB.
Ajinkya Rahane
Ajinkya Rahane started his IPL 2024 campaign on a positive note. Rahane took a brilliant catch to dismiss Virat Kohli in the first innings, before scoring 27 off 19 balls in the run chase.
Daryl Mitchell
Kiwi all-rounder Daryl Mitchell made his debut for CSK in the IPL 2024 opener and scored 22 runs. He made his presence felt in the match after smashing two consecutive sixes against Karn Sharma in characteristic fashion.
Shivam Dube
Shivam Dube enjoyed a wonderful IPL campaign for CSK last year. In the IPL 2024 opener, he scored an unbeaten 34 to guide the defending champions to a comprehensive six-wicket win.
Ravindra Jadeja
Ravindra Jadeja is a name you can’t leave out of CSK’s probable XI. Jadeja conceded just 21 runs in his four overs and also scored with a 17-ball 25 in the IPL 2024 show-raiser.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni (wicketkeeper)
After handing over the leadership duties for CSK to Gaikwad, MS Dhoni is likely to play his natural game in the ongoing IPL season. The Indian legend has scored more than 5,000 runs in over 250 IPL games.
Sameer Rizvi
20-year-old Sameer Rizvi was named in the playing XI against RCB. Although he did not get to bat on his IPL debut, Rizvi is likely to be picked in the playing XI again for the GT clash.
Deepak Chahar
Deepak Chahar came into action against RCB after a long spell on the sidelines due to an injury. He leaked runs in the powerplay, conceding 37 of his four-over quota. That said, Chahar has played a crucial role in CSK’s bowling department in the past and is likely to open proceedings against GT.
Maheesh Theekshana
Maheesh Theekshana had a forgettable outing against RCB as he scored 36 runs in his stint. The Sri Lankan spinner has played 23 IPL matches and picked as many wickets in the tournament at an economy rate of 7.83.
Mustafizur Rahman
Mustafizur Rahman looked in inspired form against RCB. The Bangladesh pacer dismantled the Bengaluru batting by taking four wickets in his first two overs. Mustafizur has played 49 matches and picked 51 wickets in his IPL career so far.
Impact sub
Tushar Deshpande
GT predicted XI
Shubman Gill (captain)
Gujarat skipper Shubman Gill had an excellent captaincy debut against Mumbai Indians on March 24. Gill led GT to a great start with a 22-ball 31 and he has amassed over 2,821 runs in 92 IPL matches so far.
Wriddhiman Saha (wicketkeeper)
Shubman’s opening partner Wriddhiman Saha is also known for his aggressive batting in the powerplay. The Indian gloveman has amassed over 2,800 runs in over 160 IPL matches.
Sai Sudharsan
After amassing 362 runs in eight matches last year, Sai Sudharsan is the best option for the team to finish at number 3. He impressed with a knock of 45 runs in GT’s IPL 2024 opener.
Vijay Shankar
Vijay Shankar contributed with 301 runs in 10 innings at a strike rate of 160.10 for Gujarat Titans last year. His all-round skills provide balance in the GT mid-range.
David Miller
South Africa’s David Miller had his best ever IPL season in 2022 as he scored 481 runs in 16 matches for GT at an impressive average of 68.71. The powerful left-hander has scored over 2,700 runs in over 120 IPL matches.
Azmatullah Omarzai
Afghanistan all-rounder Azmatullah Omarzai had a decent IPL debut against Mumbai Indians on March 24. He contributed with 17 runs and took two wickets in the Titans’ six-run win in their IPL 2024 opener.
Rahul Tewatia
Rahul Tewatia has rarely disappointed when it comes to putting on a show in the cash-rich league. He scored a 15-ball 22 against Mumbai Indians in GT’s tournament opener and is a threat to opposition bowlers with his power-hitting.
Rashid Khan
Rashid Khan, one of the best T20 bowlers in the world, plays a crucial role in GT’s line-up. The Afghan leg-spinner has taken 139 wickets in 110 matches since his IPL debut in 2017. He took as many as 27 wickets in the previous edition of IPL.
Spencer Johnson
Spencer Johnson had a memorable IPL debut for GT, picking up two crucial wickets against MI. The Australian pacer took 19 wickets in 11 matches in Brisbane Heat’s recent win in the 2023-2024 Big Bash League.
Mohit Sharma
Mohit Sharma has been an integral member of the GT outfit since 2023. After scalping 27 wickets from 14 matches last year, Mohit will lead GT’s bowling attack in IPL 2024 and take two wickets in the team’s IPL 2024 opener.
Umesh Yadav
Umesh Yadav’s form was always going to be crucial after Mohammed Shami was ruled out of the IPL 2024 due to injury. He had a good IPL debut for GT, defending 19 runs in the last over which helped register a win of six runs against MI.
Impact sub
R Sai Kishore/Kartik Tyagi
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