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The Times of India
The Times of India
Sport
TNN

IPL 2023: How Gujarat Titans, Rajasthan Royals, Lucknow Super Giants, Mumbai Indians, Chennai Super Kings shape up

A bigger edition of the Indian Super League begins on Friday with the opening match between Chennai Super Kings and Gujarat Titans.

In it's first part of SWOT analysis of the participating teams, TOI looks at how Gujarat, Chennai, Mumbai Indians, Lucknow Super Giants and Rajasthan Royals shape up.

GUJARAT TITANS

Not many would have bet on the Titans winning the IPL title on debut. Now they are the most-marked team and opponents will try to exploit the chinks intheir armour.

STRENGTH: With the presence of Hardik Pandya, Shubman Gill, Mohammed Shami, Rashid Khan and David Miller, the team’s core is very strong.

WEAKNESS: Lockie Ferguson’s departure means support bowlers to Pandya, Shami and Rashid look a bit thin on experience.

OPPORTUNITY: Like last year, they will be keen to prove they don’t need a superstar overseas player to take them over the line.

THREAT: Who opens with Gill among Wriddhiman Saha, Kane Williamson and KS Bharat? And can they strike from the word go?

KEY PLAYERS

Hardik Pandya: Was a revelation in 2022 as skipper and batter. Titans will hope he carries on in that vein and takes even more bowling responsibility.

Shubman Gill: The opener will look to build on his international success. His form will be key to how they start at the top.

Mohammed Shami: Every time his ability to be an all-format bowler has been questioned, the pacer has responded with a bucketful of wickets. Can he go full tilt all season?

NEW PLAYERS TO WATCH OUT FOR

Shivam Mavi: With his inclusion for Rs 6 crore, Titans have added some experience to their domestic bowling contingent.

Kane Williamson: While his T20 form has slipped over the last few years, he can still add value. A good buy to have on the field to help out with decisions, especially

in crunch situations.

Joshua Little: Titans spent Rs 4.4 crore for the 23-year-old Irish leftarm pacer and must have seen some spark in him. Took a hat-trick in the 2022 T20 World Cup against New Zealand.

INJURY WATCH

No injury issue yet. David Miller will miss the first match due to commitments with South Africa. Joshua Little won’t be available in the second week of May as he will travel to play Ireland’s two ODIs against Bangladesh.

RAJASTHAN ROYALS

Having finally got rid of the image of ‘perennial underdogs’, last year’s runners-up Rajasthan Royals will be riding high on confidence. At the same time, they will be under pressure to match last season’s performance.

STRENGTH: The squad has a good balance of experienced and promising players. They have some powerhouse foreign signings in Joe Root, Jason Holder and Adam Zampa.

WEAKNESS: Middle-order is slightly fragile. Shimron Hetmyer, although ideal for handling the back-end pressure, is inconsistent.

OPPORTUNITY: Youngsters Yashasvi Jaiswal and Riyan Parag are coming into the tournament after a successful domestic season and will look to replicate that success on the big stage.

THREAT: Pace spearhead Trent Boult needs an ally, but with Prasidh Krishna out with back injury, can Kuldeep Sen, Navdeep Saini or Sandeep Sharma fill the void at the

other end?

1/10:​IPL 2023: What the stars have been up to so far

2/10:​Virat Kohli (RCB)

<p>After the completion of the ODI series against Australia, Kohli arrived in Bengaluru to join his side RCB.<br /></p>

3/10:​Virat Kohli (RCB)

<p>He was seen having a good time with teammate Glenn Maxwell during a practice session at the M. Chinnaswamy stadium.<br /></p>

4/10:​MS Dhoni (CSK)

<p>The evergreen MSD was seen smashing the ball all over the newly renovated Chepauk stadium.<br /></p>

5/10:​MS Dhoni (CSK)

<p>The CSK skipper also tried his hand at spray painting seats in the stadium. And he did quite a good job!<br /></p>

6/10:​Tim Southee (KKR)

<p>Kiwi skipper, Tim Southee landed in Kolkata to join his side for the upcoming IPL season.<br /></p>

7/10:​Andre Russell (KKR)

<p>'Muscle-Russell' was seen smashing the ball with his willow in an Intra-squad KKR match at the Eden Gardens.<br /></p>

8/10:​KL Rahul (LSG)

<p>LSG skipper KL Rahul joined his side ahead of the IPL. Rahul was seen in the nets stroking some good shots.<br /></p>

9/10:​Shubman Gill and Kane Williamson (GT)

<p>India’s rising star Shubman Gill was seen with former Kiwi skipper Kane Williamson during a practice session of GT. Shubman was the second highest run-getter for GT last season, behind skipper Hardik Pandya.<br /></p>

10/10:​Shikhar Dhawan (PBKS)

<p>Newly appointed Punjab Kings skipper, Shikhar Dhawan was seen knocking the ball around in the nets during a training session. <br /></p>
IPL 2023: What the stars have been up to so far

KEY PLAYERS

Jos Buttler: The England captain will be expected to play a match-winning role more than once.

Sanju Samson: The Royals captain has been associated with the team since 2013 and is now considered their batting mainstay.

Yuzvendra Chahal: The leggie has added teeth to RR’s bowling department with his ability to turn things around.

NEW PLAYERS TO WATCH OUT FOR

Joe Root: It will be interesting to see how the Test stalwart adapts to the IPL’s challenges.

Donovan Ferreira: The South African wicketkeeper-batter has no international experience but was hot property in the recent SA20 league.

Adam Zampa: His addition adds an extra dimension to the ChahalAshwin combination and gives the Royals more options in the spin department.

INJURY WATCH

Seamer Prasidh Krishna has been ruled out with a lower-back surgery. Medium pacer Sandeep Sharma has been named as replacement.

LUCKNOW SUPER GIANTS

Led by KL Rahul, Lucknow Super Giants finished third in 2022. Can they go one better this time?

STRENGTH: Excellent group of allrounders in the form of Deepak Hooda, Krunal Pandya, Krishnappa Gowtham, Romario Shepherd and Marcus Stoinis. In Quinton de Kock and KL Rahul, they have a reliable and explosive opening pair.

WEAKNESS: Spin-bowling stocks seem to lack strength. Besides Ravi Bishnoi, there is the ageing Amit Mishra in the team.

OPPORTUNITY: Power-packed batting lineup means they can chase a big score as well as set one.

THREAT: Seem to lack wickettaking thrust in the middle-overs, which might be exposed by powerful batting lineups.

KEY PLAYERS

Quinton de Kock: The form man after a successful series against West Indies will be key in terms of quick starts, but will miss the opening game.

KL Rahul: The skipper, usually among the top run-scorers in the event, will again have a point to prove.

Mark Wood: Known to clock speeds in excess of 150kmph, his blistering pace is an asset.

NEW PLAYERS TO WATCH OUT FOR

Nicholas Pooran: The hard-hitting West Indies middle-order batsman played for Sunrisers Hyderabad last season and is known to be brutal against spinners.

Romario Shepherd: In the Andre Russell mould. Bowls at a decent clip and can be devastating with bat in hand.

Prerak Mankad: Pace-bowling allrounder from Saurashtra has a batting strike-rate of 142.60 and an assortment of slower deliveries.

INJURY WATCH

Mohsin Khan: The young left-arm fast bowler who impressed in the previous season is nursing a shoulder injury and will miss a majority of the season.

MUMBAI INDIANS

After a forgettable 2022, which saw them lose their first eight matches and finish at the bottom of the standings, MI will look to bounce back with a vengeance.

STRENGTH: One of the best batting lineups, boasting the likes of Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav and Ishan Kishan.

WEAKNESS: In Jasprit Bumrah’s absence, Jofra Acher is the only genuine pacer in their ranks. The spin department wears a weak look as well.

OPPORTUNITY: New recruits like Cameron Green and Duan Jansen will aim to seal their places.

THREAT: Lack of depth. If the big guns fail to fire, like last season, they may find themselves in trouble.

1/10:10 fastest half-centuries in IPL history

TNN

2/10:​KL Rahul and Pat Cummins

<p>KL Rahul and Pat Cummins hold the record for the fastest half-century in IPL history with both of them getting to the mark off 14 balls.</p>TNN

3/10:KL Rahul

<p>Playing for Kings XI Punjab, Rahul smashed 4 sixes and 6 fours for a 14-ball fifty against Delhi Daredevils in Mohali on April 8, 2018.</p>TNN

4/10:Pat Cummins

<p>Cummins equalled Rahul's record slamming 4 fours and 6 sixes for Kolkata Knight Riders against Mumbai Indians in Pune on April 6, 2022. (BCCI/IPL Photo)</p>TNN

5/10:Yusuf Pathan

<p>Kolkata Knight Riders' Yusuf Pathan comes next in the list with a 15-ball fifty against Sunrisers Hyderabad in Kolkata on May 24, 2014.</p>TNN

6/10:Sunil Narine

<p>Playing for Kolkata Knight Riders, Sunil Narine also hit a 15-ball fifty against Royal Challengers Bangalore in Bangalore on May 7, 2017.</p>TNN

7/10:Suresh Raina

<p>Next in the list is Suresh Raina's 16-ball fifty for Chennai Super Kings against Kings XI Punjab in Mumbai on May 30, 2014.</p>TNN

8/10:Ishan Kishan

<p>Mumbai Indians' Ishan Kishan also smashed a 16-ball fifty against Sunrisers Hyderabad in Abu Dhabi on October 8, 2021.</p>TNN

9/10:​Chris Gayle

<p>Chris Gayle hit a 17-ball fifty for Royal Challengers Bangalore against Pune Warriors in Bangalore on April 23, 2013.</p>TNN

10/10:Hardik Pandya

<p>Mumbai Indians' Hardik Pandya also slammed a 17-ball fifty against Kolkata Knight Riders in Kolkata on April 28, 2019.</p>TNN
10 fastest half-centuries in IPL history

KEY PLAYERS

Rohit Sharma: Had a below-par 2022 but with the amount of experience under his belt, still remains Mumbai’s most potent batter.

Suryakumar Yadav: May have struggled in the recent ODI series against Australia but no one can take ‘Mr 360’ for granted in this format. His contributions in the middle will again be key.

Tim David: The Australian gave a glimpse of his abilities with some fiery knocks last season.

NEW PLAYERS TO WATCH OUT FOR

Jofra Acher: Bought in the 2022 auction despite some injury problems, he will be hoping to go full tilt this time.

Cameron Green: A perfect replacement for Kieron Pollard. The 23-year-old has pushed himself into the list of best allrounders in the world.

Duan Jansen: The 22-year-old South African left-arm quick is another newbie MI have up their sleeves.

INJURY WATCH

Jasprit Bumrah (back surgery) and Jhye Richardson (hamstring surgery) will both miss the entire season.

CHENNAI SUPER KINGS

When Chennai Super Kings splurged Rs 16 crore on Ben Stokes in the auctions, it showed desperation. A team that normally never goes for more than Rs 10 cr for an international player broke the bank for Stokes, because MS Dhoni is likely to retire after this season. The future begins now for the franchise.

STRENGTH: Experienced players who know what it is like to deliver on the big stage. Plus the leadership skills of MS Dhoni.

WEAKNESS: Pace-bowling pool looks slightly weak. Deepak Chahar is coming back after a long lay-off and the attack lacks a hitthe-deck bowler who can consistently bowl at speeds of 140-plus kmph.

OPPORTUNITY: Pitches at Chepauk can be tailor-made for their spinners like Ravindra Jadeja, Moeen Ali and Maheesh Theeksana to weave their magic.

THREAT: They might struggle to match the firepower of some of the teams who tend to play a high-tempo game.

KEY PLAYERS

Ben Stokes: Explosive batter, brilliant fielder and a leader. If he bowls, Stokes will be a complete package.

Ravindra Jadeja: The most crucial player in thev CSK lineup with his allround abilities.

Deepak Chahar: No. 1 pacer of the team. Has to deliver to help CSK make an impact.'

NEW PLAYERS TO WATCH OUT FOR

Matheesha Pathirana: Sri Lankan slinger with a lot of promise. Can be used as an impact substitute.

Simarjeet Singh: The Delhi pacer has shown promise and is rated highly by the CSK team management. Can he deliver?

Subhranshu Senapati: Odisha right-hander who can shape up into a useful middle-order batsman.

INJURY WATCH

Pacers Kylie Jamieson and Mukesh Choudhary have been ruled out.

(Text by Rajesh Pansare, Mandakini Shalya, Hindol Basu, Dwaipayan Datta)

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