The double-header we saw yesterday was a perfect reminder that catches win matches. So many chances were dropped across both games. In the first match, Shashank Singh dropped KL Rahul, while Karun Nair put down Shreyas Iyer—not once, but twice. Then in the night game, 15-year-old sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was dropped, and he went on to score a century. Even Ravindra Jadeja, arguably one of the best fielders in the world, dropped Abhishek Sharma—a moment that may have cost his team the match.
Yesterday was a clear reminder that fielding can win or lose you games, and it is just as important as batting and bowling—if not more.
ow on to today’s double-header. It’s the five-time champions CSK taking on GT in their first afternoon game of the season, live from Chennai.
In this post, we’ll get you up to speed with everything you need to know before this clash.
Expected Playing 11:
CSK:
- Sanju Samson (WK)
- Ruturaj Gaikwad (C)
- Sarfaraz Khan
- Dewald Brevis
- Karthik Sharma/Prashant Veer/Urvil Patel
- Shivam Dube
- Jamie Overton
- Akeal Hosain
- Noor Ahmed
- Anshul Khamboj
- Mukesh Choudhary
Impact Player- Gurjapneet Singh
MS Dhoni is not expected to play against GT today.
GT:
- Shubman Gill (C)
- Sai Sudharshan
- Jos Buttler
- Jason Holder
- Shah Rukh Khan
- Rahul Tewatia
- Rashid Khan
- Manav Suthar
- Kagiso Rabada
- Prasidh Krishna
- Mohammed Siraj
Impact Player- Ashok Sharma
Head to Head:
| Matches- | 8 |
| CSK Won- | 4 |
| GT Won- | 4 |
| Tied- | 0 |
| No Result- | 0 |
Pitch and Weather Conditions:
It’s an afternoon game in Chennai, so batting first seems like the obvious decision. The city is facing blistering temperatures, with around 33°C at 2 PM, gradually dropping to 31°C by 5 PM.
Although Chepauk isn’t the slow, spin-heavy surface it once was, the conditions—and the fact that it’s an afternoon game—will likely make the pitch play slower. No dew is expected, and there’s no rain forecast either.
Prediction:
We’re going with Chennai Super Kings to take the win against Gujarat Titans this afternoon. CSK have played extremely well in their last few games—winning two on the trot, then losing a close one against SRH, and bouncing back by demolishing MI, the same team that beat GT convincingly. CSK look in their element right now, and what’s even more impressive is that they seem to be coping well even without MS Dhoni. They’ve found the right balance and combinations, and returning home to Chepauk is exactly what they need. That fortress advantage could play a big role.
GT, on the other hand, don’t look at their best right now and still have a few areas to fix. While both teams are quite close in terms of points and games played, it’s recent performances—and the Chepauk conditions—that tilt the balance slightly in CSK’s favour.
That said, GT absolutely have a chance. They need their middle order to step up after the top order lays the platform, and their bowling unit has to execute better. If they manage that, this could turn into a very tight contest.
CSK have a key weapon in Akeal Hosein, while GT will rely on Prasidh Krishna. However, in Chepauk conditions, Akeal is likely to have the edge, especially as the pitch slows down and assists spinners more in the latter half of the innings. If GT can neutralise Akeal and capitalise on key moments, CSK could come under pressure.
But CSK have shown time and again that they are a champion side—you can never count them out. To conclude, we’re backing CSK to get the win over GT.
If you want to see CSK back in action tomorrow against GT in their fortress- MA Chidambaram stadium, then tune into JioHotstar at 3:30 PM IST.
Until next time!
Thank you.
SlogVlog 