It will be a test of wits between two new captains — Shubman Gill and Ruturaj Gaikwad — when defending champions Chennai Super Kings clash with Gujarat Titans in an IPL match here on Tuesday.
Both openers known for their smooth and elegant shot-making will be engaged in a battle of tactical supremacy as CSK and GT will be looking to sustain their momentum after wins in their previous matches.
While CSK won their opener against RCB, the Gill-led GT defeated Mumbai Indians on Sunday. The two teams had met in last year’s final with CSK winning the title. Both sides have undergone huge changes since.
GT left-arm spinner R. Sai Kishore praised head coach Ashish Nehra for setting up a thriving team culture and said Gill did not look like he was leading for the first time.
“Shubman led the team very well. It did not look like he was leading for the first time. Even to me as a spinner, the inputs that he gave were fantastic,” Kishore said in the post-match press conference.
At 24, Gill is the youngest captain in the IPL and has impressed with his tactical changes and field settings besides maintaining a cool composure even in pressure situations.
“The thing about this whole team and how it has been run over the last two years is we give a lot of emphasis to competing. Whether we win or lose, we’re proud of the way we play.
“All credit to the culture he has set up over the last two years. People are not thinking about the result, they’re focusing about competing.”
Gaikwad, 27, too impressed on his captaincy debut under the tutelage of MS Dhoni as CSK breezed to a six-wicket win against RCB on Friday. He has four 50-plus scores in five innings against GT at a strike rate of 146.85.
But the bowling unit will eye an improved effort. Mustafizur Rahman sizzled with a four-wicket haul, but how well the bowlers read the conditions could decide the outcome.
