IPL 2023: With players either missing or injured, here is a predicted Playing XI for the CSK vs GT opener

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 season is finally here and two of the biggest teams in the league will lock horns at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad when Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Gujarat Titans (GT) take the field on Friday, March 31.

The match-up between the veteran style of CSK skipper MS Dhoni, and the young prowess of GT skipper Hardik Pandya will come to the fore on Friday night, with the IPL reverted back to the much-revered home and away format from before the Covid-19 pandemic.

While Gujarat will hope to be just the fourth team in IPL history to lift the trophy more than once, CSK's main aim will be to get rid of their IPL 2022 blues where they finished ninth and secure their fifth trophy in what might be MS Dhoni's swansong.

Four-time IPL champions CSK brought in England all-rounder Ben Stokes for a massive Rs 16.25 crore at the mini-auction in 2022, and seem loaded in the batting department. However, they were hit with an injury ahead of the league with pacer Mukesh Chowdhary set to miss this season and former U19 India pacer Akash Singh taking his place in the squad.

The team's CEO Kasi Viswanathan also cleared the air over Dhoni’s availability for the IPL 2023 opener. “MS is fine. He is playing. There is nothing to worry about at all,” Viswanathan told Sports Tak.

CSK finished ninth on the points table in IPL 2022 after managing just four wins in their 14 games. Meanwhile, Gujarat fought their way to the title after beating Rajasthan Royals (RR) in the final.

For Gujarat, they will be without South African middle-order batting stalwart David Miller, who was a key part of their success on the way to the IPL 2022 trophy.

Chennai Super Kings Predicted Playing XI
Openers: Ruturaj Gaikwad, Devon Conway; Middle Order: Moeen Ali, Ambati Rayudu, Ben Stokes, Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni; Bowlers; Dwaine Pretorius, Deepak Chahar, Prashant Solanki Simarjeet Singh.

Gujarat Titans Predicted Playing XI:
Openers: Abhinav Manohar, Shubman Gill; Middle Order: Kane Williamson, Hardik Pandya, Rahul Tewatia, Matthew Wade; Bowlers: Rashid Khan, Shivam Mavi, Alzarri Joseph, M Shami, Yash Dayal.

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