IPL 2023: Chennai Super Kings’ Strongest Playing XI For CSK vs GT Match
New Delhi: The Women’s Premier League is done and dusted with Mumbai Indians becoming the inaugural champions. The focus now shifts to the grand event, the king of T20 leagues, the Indian Premier League which gets underway on March 31 with a match between four-time champions Chennai Super Kings and defending champs Gujarat Titans.
Chennai Super King is one of the most successful franchises in IPL but the MS Dhoni-led team failed to make it to the playoffs last season, finishing ninth on the points table. With an aim to build a team for the future, MS Dhoni handed over the leadership reins to Ravindra Jadeja in IPL 2022 before Jadeja resigned from the post after the team’s shambolic show.
The team will now look to use the coming season as an opportunity to create a strong core, especially with this possibly being MS Dhoni’s last appearance in IPL as a player.
The team roped in as many as seven new players, including England all-rounder Ben Stokes, Kiwi pacer Kyle Jamieson, and Ajinkya Rahane for IPL 2023. However, the team suffered a big blow ahead of the season as Jamieson was ruled out due to injury. CSK then picked South Africa’s Sisanda Magala as his replacement.
In another significant blow, CSK pacer Mukesh Choudhary, who impressed one and all with his pace and swing in IPL 2022, is set to miss the tournament due to injury, as per many reports, which has hurt CSK’s plans further.
When it comes to CSK’s strongest playing 11, New Zealand opener Devon Conway is likely to partner Ruturaj Gaikwad at the top, followed by Ambati Rayudu, Moeen Ali, Shivam Dube and MS Dhoni. Ben Stokes and Ravindra Jadeja will be the two specialist all-rounders in the team along with the aforementioned Ali and Dube.
Deepak Chahar and Tushar Deshpande are likely to be the two pacers while Mitch Santner or Maheesh Theekshana will be the specialist spinner.
Chennai Super Kings’ strongest possible XI: Devon Conway, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ambati Rayudu, Moeen Ali, Ben Stokes, Shivam Dube, MS Dhoni (c) (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Deepak Chahar, Tushar Deshpande, Maheesh Theekshana/Mitchell Santner.