The 59th match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 pits Gujarat Titans (GT) against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad tonight at 7:30 PM IST.
GT enter the contest in a worrying position. They have lost their last three matches and languish at the bottom of the table with only four wins from eleven matches played. CSK, on the other hand, come into the game on a high, having defeated Punjab Kings (PBKS) in their previous encounter. They currently sit comfortably in fourth place with six wins from eleven matches.
Both teams have their share of concerns. CSK’s bowling attack has been severely hampered by injuries to key players like Matheesha Pathirana, and Deepak Chahar. Mustafizur Rahman has returned home for his national commitments. This has forced them to constantly shuffle their bowling line-up, a stark contrast to their usual strategy of maintaining consistency in selection. Similarly, GT have also struggled to find a winning combination, having used a league-high 22 players throughout the season.
Inconsistency at the top of the order has further plagued both teams. While Ruturaj Gaikwad has carried the responsibility for the visitors, Shubman Gill has been in a rut for GT in the last five matches. Their respective opening partners, Ajinkya Rahane and Wriddhiman Saha, haven’t provided the required support either, failing to consistently deliver strong starts.
Statistically, there’s a striking similarity between the 2023 finalists. Both GT and CSK have displayed sluggish batting throughout the season. The Titans boast the slowest scoring rate in the powerplay (7.54) and middle overs (8.00). While the defending champions fare slightly better but are still below par, scoring at 8.54 and 8.35 in the same phases, respectively.
Head-to-Head:
Both teams have notched up three victories, in their six encounters. However, CSK’s victory against GT in the first leg was dominant, defeating them by a massive margin of 63 runs.
Where-to-Watch:
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