IPL 2023, Qualifier I: Gujarat Titans, a spitting image of Chennai Super Kings, hoping to conquer Dhoni & Co at Chennai

In a stadium where MS Dhoni has been omnipresent either in flesh or through hoardings or murals throughout this IPL season, the arrival of the playoffs to MA Chidambaram Stadium has brought about a change as well.
There is this huge Hardik Pandya hoarding that is pitted against Dhoni at the Pattabhiraman Gate that symbolically captures the essence of the Qualifier I. Over the course of 15 seasons, the IPL has moved from Dhoni vs Gautam Gambhir to Dhoni vs Rohit Sharma and Dhoni vs Virat Kohli sub-plots, which have been contrasting in their own ways. But over the last couple of seasons, Dhoni vs Pandya looks every bit a clash of similar styles with the two teams — Chennai Super Kings and Gujarat Titans — having a lot in common between them.
Like Dhoni, who was a rank outsider before being named captain of the national team, nobody saw it coming when Gujarat Titans picked Pandya for the captaincy. But here he is, guiding Gujarat to their second successive playoff berth in as many seasons, looking to add one more title.
MS Dhoni and Hardik Pandya at the toss. (FILE)
In a tournament where most teams are searching for an identity of their own, Gujarat have been a tad different, and haven’t looked anywhere else or outside the box to be competitive. Instead, they have just looked at Chennai Super Kings’ modus operandi, have picked their strengths and have tried to replicate it with their head coach Ashish Nehra being the instrumental force behind it.
“Before GT, the team I played in, loved and was a big fan of was the Chennai Super Kings because of how they worked and the atmosphere in the team,” Nehra recollected in the franchise’s podcast recently. “There’s no philosophy. Whenever I have played, I have come across some really good coaches. Sometimes, as a player you feel, or as a human you might feel, this thing is very easy, it’s so simple, why are people making this complicated. So even in coaching I had the same feelings,” Nehra would explain about his philosophy in assembling a team last year.
Watching both the teams on the eve of Qualifier I, one thing stood out. How relaxed they were, oblivious to all the pressure that comes with big games. One of Chennai’s biggest strengths over the years has been their consency in picking the same XI unless otherwise forced and Gujarat too have largely operated on the same blueprint. Despite having full squad strength of 25, both the teams have used only 18 players so far. While some were forced, others were more horses-for-courses decisions depending on the conditions and availability of players. But once they found the right balance, they seldom deviated from it.
Like Chennai, who have created an atmosphere that tends to bring the best out of players, Gujarat are no different. Before the player auctions, they took the bold step of retaining Vijay Shankar, who was without any game time in the domestic season until then. And despite making a crying plea that he is ready to bowl, Gujarat have used him only as a batsman to good effect, and he has responded with 287 runs, scoring three attractive fifties, which all have come in crucial periods.
Gujarat Titans’ Vijay Shankar celebrates his fifty runs during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Gujarat Titans in Bengaluru, India, Sunday, May 21, 2023. (AP Photo /Aijaz Rahi)
Behind the scenes, there are a lot of admirers for the way Pandya has handled Vijay, who could even compete for a place in the national scheme of things. Similarly, despite having Shivam Mavi — a pacer who broke into the national team in the home season — in their ranks, they chose to go with the forgotten man, Mohit Sharma, who too has delivered for them. And then, there are their overseas imports — Noor Ahmad and Josh Little — two players that Gujarat have chosen to go with to give them balance ahead of Matthew Wade and Alzarri Joseph.
And in Pandya, Nehra has also found a like-minded captain, who has preferred to put a process in place like Dhoni does. Young players in Titans rank speak fondly of how Pandya has left his room door open at all times — like Dhoni does — to walk in and have conversations at all times. “You got to have the best environment possible to win like CSK. No matter who the players are, they find their comfort there (CSK) and get the best out of the players. That is more inspiring for me to get the best environment and best out of the players,” Pandya said in the podcast.
On Tuesday, when they take on each other, on the basis of current form and on paper, Gujarat definitely hold an edge over Chennai. Be it simplifying their plans and identifying role specific players — something Chennai have mastered over the years — Gujarat are acing it now with Rahul Tewatia and David Miller being prime examples of it.
A day after landing in Chennai, after a gruelling match against Royal Challengers Bangalore, Gujarat have just 48 hours to take the field in far more challenging conditions. It is something Chennai would be hoping to take advantage of.

Having made it this far making the most out of their limited resources, Chennai would also be hoping to keep their enviable record intact: of the 11 times they have made it to the playoffs before this season, only twice they have failed to make it to the final. But Chennai know if they have to overcome Gujarat, they have to counter eight overs from Rashid Khan and Noor Ahmad — in conditions that tend to aid spinners. If they manage to overcome that challenge, then Chennai can dream of a record-equalling fifth IPL title.