Key match-ups, analysis, form, team news, weather forecast, tickets, TV and streaming information, odds, predictions and more ahead of the latest encounter in the 2023 IPL
Gujarat Titans take on Chennai Super Kings in the first qualifier in the 2023 Indian Premier League playoffs.
The match is scheduled to start at 7.30pm local time (3pm BST) on Tuesday, May 23.
The match will be played at MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.
These two teams have looked destined for the knockout stages from the start of the tournament. Gujarat Titans secured top spot with time to spare while CSK emphatically claimed second spot with a 77-run win over Delhi Capitals in their final group match.
Table-toppers Gujarat have suffered a few surprise defeats at the back end of the regular season, notably losing to strugglers Delhi Capitals by five runs, but were already too far ahead in the standings to lose out on a spot in the first qualifier.
And they will be full of confidence heading into the match against a Chennai team that has yet to beat them: the teams have met three times in the IPL, most recently in the first game of the 2023 tournament where the Titans won by five wickets.
Chennai finished the season strongly, winning three of their final four matches after previously enduring a three-match winless streak.
Their opening batters have been key for them this season and are bringing excellent form to the post-season, with Ruturaj Gaikwad and Devon Conway hitting 79 and 87 runs, respectively, against the Capitals last time out.
CSK openers Ruturaj Gaikwad and Devon Conway [Arun Sankar/Getty Images]
Neither side has any fresh injury concerns.
CSK's Ben Stokes has returned home ahead of England's busy summer of Test cricket.
It should be blockbuster viewing with the most in-form batters taking on the most in-form bowlers on both sides.
Shubman Gill has been a consistent run-scorer for Gujarat this year, but he has kicked on further at the end of the regular season, hitting his first ever IPL century in their penultimate league game against Sunrisers.
Gill has outscored his teammates by some distance but the likes of Hardik Pandya, Wriddhiman Saha, and David Miller have stepped up when needed. If Chennai can get Gill out early though, it could be decisive.
Deepak Chahar took three wickets in Chennai's most recent game, two of which came in the powerplay. The swing bowler will again be tasked with making an early impact with Gill being the main target. Tushar Despande was the man to take Gill in their last meeting but not before he notched up 63 runs.
Gujarat boast some of the best bowlers in the competition with Mohammed Shami, Rashid Khan and Mohit Sharma all in the top ten wicket-takers this season.
They will have Conway and Gaikwad in their sights. Gaikwad hit 92 runs in their last meeting at the start of the season, but his teammates were unable to back him up with any meaningful scores as Shami and Khan took two wickets a piece.
Matches played: 3
Gujarat Titans wins: 3
Chennai Super Kings wins: 0
A clear and hot evening is expected on Tuesday, with temperatures reaching 37 degrees Celsius.
Gujarat Titans bowler Mohammed Shami [Idranil Mukherjee/Getty Images]
Gujarat Titans: Hardik Pandya (c), Shubman Gill, David Miller, Abhinav Manohar, Sai Sudharsan, Wriddhiman Saha, Matthew Wade, Rashid Khan, Rahul Tewatia, Vijay Shankar, Mohammed Shami, Alzarri Joseph, Yash Dayal, Pradeep Sangwan, Darshan Nalkande, Jayant Yadav, R Sai Kishore, Noor Ahmad, Kane Williamson (injured, replaced by Dasun Shanaka), Odean Smith, KS Bharat, Shivam Mavi, Urvil Patel, Josh Little, Mohit Sharma
Chennai Super Kings: MS Dhoni (c), Devon Conway, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ambati Rayudu, Subhranshu Senapati, Moeen Ali, Shivam Dube, Rajvardhan Hangargekar, Dwaine Pretorius, Mitchell Santner, Ravindra Jadeja, Tushar Deshpande, Mukesh Chowdhary, Matheesha Pathirana, Simarjeet Singh, Deepak Chahar, Prashant Solanki, Maheesh Theekshana, Ajinkya Rahane, Ben Stokes, Shaik Rasheed, Nishant Sidhu, Kyle Jamieson (injured, replaced by Sisanda Magala), Ajay Mandal, Bhagath Verma
Gujarat Titans: Wriddhiman Saha, Shubman Gill, Hardik Pandya, Sai Sudharsan, David Miller, Rahul Tewatia, Dasun Shanaka, Rashid Khan, Mohit Sharma, Noor Ahmad, Mohammed Shami, Alzarri Joseph
Chennai Super Kings: Rutaraj Gaikwad, Devon Conway, Shivam Dube, Ms Dhoni, Ravindra Jadeja, Ajinkya Rahane, Moeen Ali, Ambati Rayudu, Deepak Chahar, Tushar Deshpande, Maheesh Theekshana
The bookmakers are barely separate these two sides, with Gujarat Titans installed at 19/20 while CSK are 10/11.
It will be a tight game in Chennai, but the defending champions will be expecting to go straight through to the final for a second successive year. The Titans have been the best team of the tournament and if they play to their potential, they should have too much for Chennai.
In the UK, Sky Sports have exclusive rights to this year's tournament, with matches available on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Cricket.
Fans in India can watch all the action on Star Sports.
Elsewhere in the world, viewers in Australia can watch the IPL on Fox Sports while in New Zealand, Sky Sport will provide coverage.
Willow TV and Flow Sports will broadcast the tournament in the United States and the Caribbean, respectively.
Fans in MENA can catch the action on beIN Sports while in South Africa, SuperSport have the rights.
If you are watching from the Middle East, you'll be able to view the game on Times Internet.
People from Bangladesh can watch the game on Gazi TV.
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