Defending Champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) will lock horns with Gujarat Giants (GT) in Match 7 of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Tuesday, March 26. The Super Kings will face the team they defeated in the previous season’s final to clinch their fifth IPL trophy, Gujarat Titans (GT). In the IPL 2024 opener, CSK beat RCB by six wickets and they will hope to continue their winning momentum with victory against GT.
On the other hand, last season’s losing finalists Gujarat Titans began their IPL 2024 campaign on a high after defeating Mumbai Indians by six runs at the Narendra Modi Stadium on March 24.
Let’s take a look at the predicted XIs of both sides ahead of this much-anticipated contest.
CSK Predicted XI
Ruturaj Gaikwad (captain)
CSK skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad had an underwhelming outing with the bat against RCB. Chasing 174, Gaikwad could only contribute 15 runs at Chepauk. The right-handed batter has already amassed 1,812 IPL runs in 53 matches so far.
Rachin Ravindra
New Zealand all-rounder Rachin Ravindra will partner up with Gaikwad at the top. The Kiwi southpaw had a memorable IPL debut as Rachin smashed a 15-ball 37 against RCB.
Ajinkya Rahane
Ajinkya Rahane began his IPL 2024 campaign on a positive note. Rahane pulled off 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 trademark fashion.
Shivam Dube
Shivam Dube enjoyed a wonderful IPL campaign for CSK last year. In the IPL 2024 opener, he scored an unbeaten 34, leading the defending champions to a comprehensive six-wicket win.
Ravindra Jadeja
Ravindra Jadeja is a name you cannot keep out of CSK’s probable XI. Jadeja conceded only 21 runs in his four overs and also chipped in with a 17-ball 25 in the IPL 2024 curtain-raiser.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni (wicketkeeper)
After handing over 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 over 5,000 runs in more than 250 IPL games.
Sameer Rizvi
The 20-year-old, Sameer Rizvi was picked in the playing XI against RCB. Though he did not bat on his IPL debut, Rizvi is likely to be picked again in the playing XI for the GT clash.
Deepak Chahar
Deepak Chahar was seen in action against RCB after a long spell on the sidelines due to an injury. He leaked runs in the powerplay, conceding 37 off his four-over quota. That said, Chahar has played a pivotal role in CSK’s bowling unit in the past and is likely to open the proceedings against GT.
Maheesh Theekshana
Maheesh Theekshana had a forgettable outing against RCB considering he went for 36 runs in his spell. The Sri Lankan spinner has played 23 IPL games and has picked just 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 picking up four wickets in his initial two overs. Mustafizur has played 49 matches, picking 51 wickets in his IPL career so far.
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Tushar Deshpande
GT Predicted XI
Shubman Gill (captain)
Gujarat skipper Shubman Gill had an outstanding captaincy debut against Mumbai Indians on March 24. Gill led GT to a cracking start with a 22-ball 31 and he has so far smashed over 2,821 runs in 92 IPL matches.
Wriddhiman Saha (wicketkeeper)
Shubman’s opening partner Wriddhiman Saha is also known for his aggressive batting in the powerplay. The Indian gloveman has smashed over 2,800 runs in more than 160 IPL matches.
Sai Sudharsan
Having amassed 362 runs in eight matches last year, Sai Sudharsan is the team’s go-to option to bat at No. 3. He impressed with a 45-run knock 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 to the GT middle order.
David Miller
South Africa’s David Miller had his best IPL season ever in 2022 when he smashed 481 runs in 16 matches for GT at an impressive average of 68.71. The powerful southpaw has scored more than 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 picked up 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
One of the best T20 bowlers in the world, Rashid Khan plays a vital role in GT’s lineup. The Afghanistan leg spinner has bagged 139 wickets in 110 matches since his IPL debut in 2017. He took a whopping 27 wickets in the previous edition of IPL.
Spencer Johnson
Spencer Johnson had a memorable IPL debut for GT and picked up two crucial wickets against MI. The Aussie pacer clinched 19 wickets in 11 matches in Brisbane Heat’s recent Big Bash League 2023-24 triumph.
Mohit Sharma
Mohit Sharma has been an integral member of the GT outfit since 2023. Having scalped 27 wickets from 14 matches last year, Mohit will spearhead GT’s bowling attack in IPL 2024 and got 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 IPL 2024 with an injury. He had a good IPL debut for GT and defended 19 runs in the last over to help register a six-run win against MI.
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