CSK, GT lock horns in IPL title clash: Statistical preview

Chennai Super Kings will be locking horns against defending champions Gujarat Titans in the 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL) final. GT have qualified for the second successive IPL final, while CSK are in their record 10th final. The Yellow Army are aiming for their fifth IPL crown, while GT will be aiming to defend theirs. Here is the statistical preview.

GT made their IPL debut last season but they have been a solid unit, making two consecutive finals. They hold the upper hand against the four-time champions, CSK. In four IPL meetings, GT have won thrice, while CSK won the Qualifier 1 to reach the finals. CSK successfully defended 172 as they bowled according to the conditions and bundled GT out for 157.

CSK are the second-most successful IPL franchise with four titles. Although they have reached the finals nine times before this, they have tasted defeat on five occasions. They bagged their first IPL title in 2010 and won it again in 2011. Their third title came in 2018. While they defeated KKR in the 2021 final to win their fourth and latest crown.

GT shocked everyone last season and bagged their maiden IPL title in their debut season. But they have replicated that performance in 2023 and are in the finals again. They will attempt to defend their crown and win the IPL twice in successive years. Only CSK (2010 and 2011) and MI ( 2019 and 2020) have defended their IPL titles.

Ruturaj Gaikwad has been in fine form this season for CSK. However, he levels up his game against GT. In four appearances against the defending champions, he has slammed four fifties, amassing 278 runs. He has compiled 564 runs in 15 matches this season at an average of 43.38. He has slammed four fifties, two of them have come against GT this season.

Rashid Khan has a decent record against CSK in the IPL. The GT leg-spinner has scalped 14 wickets against them in as many IPL fixtures at an average of 28.42. He owns an impressive economy of 7.10 against the Yellow Army. In 2023, Rashid is the second-highest wicket-taker with 27 wickets from 16 fixtures, which also includes a hat-trick against KKR.

On the back of three centuries in four innings, Shubman Gill has amassed 851 runs in IPl 2023. He owns an impressive average of 60.78 while smashing four fifties along with three tons. He is 122 runs away from matching Virat Kohli's record of 973 runs for RCB in 2016. Gill became the fourth batter to cross 800-plus runs in an IPL season.

Mohammed Shami has been exceptional for GT. He has snapped 17 powerplay wickets this season, the highest by any bowler in a single IPL season. Overall, he has scalped 28 wickets this season. He needs four more wickets in the finals to match the joint record of Dwayne Bravo (2013) and Harshal Patel (2021), who own the most wickets in an IPL season (32).