GT Hits & Misses In IPL 2023:The Gujarat Titans were just a delivery away from making it two titles in a row. GT ended up being runners-up in IPL 2023. They came short in the rain-curtailed final. GT had widened the equation to 10 off the last two balls before a Ravindra Jadeja special saw CSK through.
A record created but a chance missed:
The Hardik Pandya-led side had the golden chance of becoming just the third side to win two consecutive IPL titles. GT finished at the top of the points table for two years in running. They became the first IPL team to finish on top of the league standings for two years running in the first two years of their existence.
The pre-tournament expectations:
GT made a couple of strong additions to their setup in the mini-auction. They brought in Kane Williamson to add muscle to their middle order. GT brought in Dasun Shanaka as an injury replacement. They looked like a complete side ahead of the tournament. GT who surprised everyone in their inaugural title-winning season looked even more complete in IPL 2023. An encore wasn’t ruled out!
What were the hits for GT?
#1 Shubman Gill
If 2016 was Virat Kohli’s season without the trophy then 2023 was Shubman Gill’s without the cup. The opener was in sizzling form right throughout the tournament. His highest score in the season was 94 up until the last two weeks. Gill mentioned that he would notch up his maiden IPL ton in the few pending games. He scored not one not two but a total of 3 centuries. His tally of 890 runs was the season’s highest. He was deservingly awarded the MVP!
#2 Sai Sudarshan and Vijay Shankar
The Tamil Nadu duo of Sai Sudarshan and Vijay Shankar came up with match-winning contributions in IPL 2023. They largely batted at number 3/4 but made a decisive impact with the bat. Shankar’s supporting act in the game against RCB threw them out of the league. Sudarshan’s final exploits will remain a talking point in tournament history. GT has unearthed two committed domestic talents who will serve them well in the future.
#3 A potent bowling lineup
The top three wicket takers of IPL 2023 were all from the GT camp. Mohammad Shami won the purple cap while Mohit Sharma and Rashid Khan were a wicket away from the seamer. Shami made the new ball talk while Sharma handled the end overs. Khan weaved his magic in the middle overs even picking up a hat trick. The addition of Noor Ahmad made GT’s bowling lineup even more potent. GT very rarely needed the services of their fifth bowler as these four conjured magic more often than not.
What were the misses for GT?
#1 Hardik Pandya
In IPL 2022, there was very little that Hardik Pandya got wrong. But it was a mixed season for GT’s talisman this year. He didn’t have the best of seasons with the bat apart from a tough fifty in the game against LSG. Pandya hardly ever bowled thereby affecting the side’s balance at times. Few of his decisions remained iffy be it the handling of Rahul Tewatia or Sai Kishore. The last-over intervention in the finals when Mohit Sharma was bowling brilliantly will continue to haunt Pandya.
#2 David Miller
He earned the reputation of being the best finisher last season. But David Miller had a forgettable IPL 2023. He hardly made any valuable contributions this year. His inability to get going was masked largely owing to Gill’s brilliance. If Miller doesn’t add up in the coming edition the writing might be on the wall.
What is next for GT?
They were arguably the team of the tournament who fired on all cylinders. GT has every right to believe that they could have won the trophy twice in two years. But they came up short in a game of margins on the big day. GT though have the personnel and the culture that could make them the side to beat in the future!
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