Their performance last year is a thing of the past and reigning champions Gujarat Titans are well aware that they begin the competition from scratch.
“We’re aware of the competition we are going to face as each team has paid due attention to all its opponents. We all begin this competition in exactly the same place with no advantage and disadvantage. Each and every one in the team is under the same kind of pressure given it's the IPL.
“There’s an equal amount of excitement and nerves in every team, and we are no different,” Titans’ director of cricket Vikram Solanki said on Thursday ahead of Friday's IPL 2023 opener against Chennai Super Kings.
Captain Hardik Pandya’s growth and further progress as an all-rounder as well as his mature captaincy is one big advantage for the Titans. They also believe the experience of leading India in some T20Is will make Pandya sharper.
“Hardik was a very mature captain even last year and took to captaincy very naturally. It’s very apparent that he is a deep thinker of the game while his character and personality play through in the way he operates.
“He’s a little more experienced now and the India captaincy has added to his experience. I’m sure that will be valuable for him,” Solanki asserted.
On the other hand, Ajinkya Rahane, who usually opens in T20s for his state team Mumbai, said he is ready to play in any position in this IPL. “I have always been an opener. I have always opened the batting in the T20 format, so not much of a difference in my role.
“Still, whatever the management and the captain asks me to do, I am always open to doing it,” Rahane said.
Asked if Ben Stokes has any chance of bowling or will play only as a specialist batter, Rahane said it was all up to captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni as to how he uses the England seamer all-rounder. “You will see that tomorrow (Friday) how Mahibhai utilises him.
“It’s completely in Mahibhai’s mind. And he will utilise him really well.”
Choudhary out
Left-arm seamer Mukesh Choudhary, who was one of the Super Kings’ finds last year, has been ruled out of the tournament owing to his back injury.
Left-arm quick Akash Singh, 20, will replace Choudhary.
