First day, first show: Hardik Pandya’s Gujarat Titans play MS Dhoni’s Chennai Super Kings in the IPL opener
A T20 World Cup had given MS Dhoni the launchpad to future captaincy greatness. And a T20 IPL title in his inaugural season as skipper has catapulted the flamboyant Hardik Pandya towards India’s short format captaincy. With the symbolic passing of this baton, another season of India’s Summer cricket Slam begins as Pandya’s Gujarat Titans play Dhoni’s Chennai Super Kings.
The 41-year-old might be sweating over his fitness, but he remains the overwhelming presence that will guide CSK – be it from the dug-out, or behind the stumps, or as the new gig allows, as an Impact injection should he deem it necessary. For Hardik, India’s new Mr Cool, it will be about taking off in the second season.
On match-eve Thursday, it was like many reunions underway where high-fives were shared between the two teams with Gujarat Titans and Chennai Super Kings’ players greeting and smiling with each other. It was that time of the year when players from around the world fly down to India to be part of the world’s most looked-forward-to cricket assembly – the Indian Premier League.
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The defending champions are ready to roll once again in #TATAIPL 2023 and so is @hardikpandya7 😎@gujarat_titans fans, drop an emoji to describe your excitement for another breathtaking season 👇 pic.twitter.com/IDXPj7M6Hd
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) March 29, 2023
Friday evening is expected to be a full house as more than one lakh tickets have been sold to watch Hardik Pandya-led Gujarat Titans and most loved MS Dhoni’s Chennai Super Kings (CSK) play each other at the imposing Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
More than 1500 drones have been assembled for a sky show, followed Arijit Singh’s melodious crooning and dance performances from actors Rashmika Mandanna and Tamanna Bhatia. A laser show is also on the menu of the organisers and a chariot ride for both captains of the IPL teams.
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Quick as a wink ⚡️ with the gloves and Ice Cool 🧊 with the bat 😎@ChennaiIPL fans, drop a 💛 and let’s hear your whles 🔊 if you can’t wait to watch @msdhoni 🔙 in action 😉 pic.twitter.com/Gb4xGuNgyf
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) March 29, 2023
For two months, India’s biggest league will test the mettle for many cricketers and it will keep throwing challenges over players’ fitness. Dhoni though, looks doubtful due to his leg injury which may see him not playing the CSK opener. He came and greeted Indian team former coach Gary Kirsten, who is now coaching Gujarat Titans, dropping in the near dressing room of the opponents.
The practice session for both the teams was marred intense rainfall and Ben Stokes, who was padded up to face some balls in the nets, had to rush back.
For defending champions Gujarat, the journey will start from where they had left off. Team director of cricket Vikram Solanki on the eve of their game stated that his side will start from where they had left last summer. “The fact is that we had a good last season but we have to start fresh. We will start from where we had left off last year. It’s the exact same place. The pressure in IPL is sufficient to keep us on our toes and each team will be facing the same pressure. At the same time there is equal amount of excitement, equal amount of nervousness as well,” Solanki said.
Here we go, Back at it 💪🏏#WhlePodu #Yellove 🦁💛 pic.twitter.com/DDvBcnDlXk
— Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) March 30, 2023
Lead with maturity
The Gujarat Titans will once again hope their captain Pandya continues his calmness and drives the team towards the title once again.
Pandya showed the world that he can lead teams and lead with maturity. Captaincy, it can be said, even came naturally to him. Solanki agrees that Pandya has ability to think deeply about the game.
“He was a mature captain when he took over the captaincy. He has been a positive person and when he got the opportunity he led with the same positivity and energy. He has a lot of time for people and since past one year he has gained more experience now,” he adds.
Superstars from both sides are all set to descend at the Narendra Modi Stadium, and the buzz is absolutely unbelievable ⚡🔥
Here’s what our #TitansFAM has to say about #GTvCSK 🙌#AavaDe pic.twitter.com/QMcuM7BrXq
— Gujarat Titans (@gujarat_titans) March 30, 2023
As such, Pandya will take on his mentor Dhoni. The contrast is stark, one is a battered and bruised captain, who remains feared for his ticking brain. The other is a bubbling skipper, having proven his ability in the first season. Both are considered canny thinkers over the shortest format of the game.
The last time Gujarat played CSK, they won both the games. However, a new season will throw up more surprises. CSK will be banking on its two foreigners Ben Stokes and Moeen Ali to hold the fort. The team has new faces alongwith experienced Indian players like Ravindra Jadeja and Ambati Rayudu.
The team might see Ajinkya Rahane open the innings alongwith Ruturaj Gaikwad. Rahane was asked about Dhoni’s availability and he said only the former India captain can talk about it. Their left arm pacer Mukesh Chaudhary is ruled out for the IPL season and team manager Russell Radhakrishnan said CSK had asked the Indian board for his replacement.
At the nets after brief rain showers, pacers had begun to practice wide yorker balls and bowling coaches began to give mock fielding session. Dhoni might not play, but he will be around shepherding his men, while Pandya will lead from the front. Into this mix goes the the other charismatic figure of Ben Stokes, and you have IPL’s blockbuster Friday.
