IPL 2023, Final: Chennai Super Kings captain MS Dhoni wins toss, opts to bowl against Gujarat Titans in summit clash

Ahmedabad (Gujarat) [India], May 29 (ANI): Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain MS Dhoni won the toss and opted to bowl against defending champions Gujarat Titans (GT) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 final here at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Monday.

Chennai will be looking to clinch a 5th IPL title while defending champion Gujarat Titans will look to become the second team to win back-to-back IPL titles.
Earlier, due to persistent rain in Ahmedabad, the final of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 between four-time winners Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and defending champions Gujarat Titans (GT) which was scheduled to be played on Sunday, shifted to the reserved day on Monday at the Narendra Modi Stadium.

“We’ll bowl first with the rain forecast being around. Yesterday we were in the dressing room. As a cricketer, you always want to play. It was the crowd that suffered the most. Hopefully, we can entertain them. The pitch has been undercover for a long time, but throughout the tournament, the pitch has behaved well over here. Quite happy it will be a 20-over game we’ll be playing. Serves justice to the tournament like this. Same team,” CSK captain MS Dhoni said at the time of the toss.

“Would’ve bowled first as well, but my heart wanted to bat so I don’t mind losing the toss. We spoke that it is something out of our control (weather). Whichever team plays better will have their hands on the trophy. I like keeping the boys cool, and they repay me. It’s a flat track (what he makes of the pitch?). Same team,” Gujarat Titans captain Hardik Pandya said.

Chennai Super Kings (Playing XI): Ruturaj Gaikwad, Devon Conway, Ajinkya Rahane, Moeen Ali, Ambati Rayudu, Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni(w/c), Deepak Chahar, Matheesha Pathirana, Tushar Deshpande and Maheesh Theekshana.

Gujarat Titans (Playing XI): Wriddhiman Saha(w), Shubman Gill, Sai Sudharsan, Hardik Pandya(c), Vijay Shankar, David Miller, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Mohit Sharma, Noor Ahmad and Mohammed Shami. (ANI)