Defending champions Gujarat Titans (GT) will hope they can reach their second Indian Premier League (IPL) final in two years, but face a tough challenge in the form of Chennai Super Kings (CSK), who will be having the backing of their Yellow Army at Chepauk.
If GT are the most consistent team in IPL in the last two years, winning 22 games out of 30 with a win rate of 73.33%, their opponents are the most experienced side when it comes to the playoffs.
CSK can be compared to how Real Madrid perform in the UEFA Champions League as MS Dhoni & Co. have failed to finish in the top four only twice in 14 seasons (2020 and 2022), which speaks volumes of their unparalleled nous and dominance in the league.
How to watch GT vs CSK IPL Qualifier 1 match today
The winning team will head straight to the final that will take place this Sunday, May 28, while the losing team will face the winner of the Eliminator in Qualifier 2 on May 26.
TSN takes a closer look at pitch conditions, the predicted lineups, and team updates ahead of GT vs RCB.
MORE: Bet on GT vs CSK, Qualifier 1, here
GT vs CSK: Pitch report
Qualifier 1 is set to take place at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.
Built in 1916, it is one of the oldest grounds in India that is still in operation. It is more commonly known as Chepauk, the location where the stadium is situated.
The temperature is forecasted to be in the high 30s today. Early on, the venue's conditions were favourable for batsmen, but as the competition has gone on, the wickets have become slower.
The average first innings total decreased from 182 in the first four games to 150 in the last three, which was mirrored in the scores recorded at the site. In their most recent match versus KKR, CSK themselves were defeated, which is a rare feat considering Chepauk is a fortress for the Men in Yellow.
However, Tuesday's game will take place on pitch #5, where CSK and PBKS recently engaged in a high-scoring entertaining match. Therefore, we can expect that the pitch will not provide much help to the bowlers.
GT vs CSK live toss
The toss is scheduled to take place at 19:00 IST.
GT vs CSK team news
GT: With Vijay Shankar back to fitness and scoring an important half-century against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) on Sunday, he retains his place in the side.
CSK: No reported injuries mean that CSK are sticking to the same combination.
GT vs CSK confirmed lineups
GT: Wriddhiman Saha (WK), Shubman Gill, Dasun Shanaka, Hardik Pandya (C), David Miller, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Mohammed Shami, Noor Ahmad, Mohit Sharma, Darshan Nalkande
CSK: Devon Conway, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ajinkya Rahane, Shivam Dube, Ambati Rayudu, Moeen Ali, Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni (C & WK), Deepak Chahar, Tushar Deshpande, Maheesh Theekshana
MORE: Make your IPL 2023 predictions and win prizes with Dafabet in Premier League Million
GT vs CSK: Who are likely to be the impact players?
GT: Vijay Shankar, KS Bharat, Shivam Mavi, Sai Sudharsan, Jayant yadav
Vijay Shankar is likely to be the Impact Player for Gujarat Titans, coming in for Darshan Nalkande when GT bat in the second innings.
CSK: Matheesha Pathirana, Mitchell Santner, Subhranshu Senapati, Shaik Rasheed, Akash Singh
Matheesha Pathirana will continue to be CSK's Impact Player against GT.
