GT vs CSK, IPL 2023 Highlights: Gujarat start title defence with a win, beat Chennai by 5 wickets

Not Gill or Gaikwad but you shouldn't be too surprised by that. He recorded figures of 2/26 and scored 10 in three balls which was crucial for taking GT over the line. "So happy to get the Player of the Match. Gives me so much of energy for the rest of the competition. Bowling to the leftie was hard but the more I keep it tight, it is better. I had it in my mind to keep it simple. Just bowl the right areas consistently. Batting is all about time spent in the nets. The kind of opportunity and confidence in me by the coaching staff and the captain does give me a lot of batting time in the nets. It helps me in the middle."

"I am obviously very happy, but we did put ourselves in a difficult position. We were very happy with 178 because at one point they looked like going past 200. But we kept getting wickets. Having the impact rule makes my job very difficult. There are too many options. Because of it, someone will always bowl less or late. My shot and Shubman's shot put the team in a difficult position. We have some standards inside the dressing room. We have to finish the games, and not Rash and Rahul all the time."

The only point where it looked like CSK might have taken the initiative was in those two overs after Gill fell but Rashid Khan and Rahul Tewatia just snatched it away from the four-time champions. But the ground work was laid by some brilliant innings up top from Wriddhiman Saha, Shubman Gill and Sai Sudarshan. They ensured that GT's run rate never really went too far below 10 and when you do that, it becomes very difficult for any team to stop a chase.  

"We were slightly short. Another 15-20 runs would have been good. We all know there would be a little bit of dew. Also it was a 7.30pm start so the ball holds on a little early on. Also we could have batted properly in the middle overs as opposed to trying to muscle the ball. Rutu is a pleasure to watch. He has groomed himself very well, and makes the eight decisions under pressure. We can't afford to bowl no-balls. That is something in our control."

Tewatia crunches the next ball straight down the ground and then stands there with his arms raised. This partnership stays unbeaten on 22 off 8, GT have put up a masterclass of a chase here.

Deshpande goes full and wide, Tewatia anticipates and moves accross to send it past mid-off. What a chase this has been. 

Those lusty blows from Rashid have done wonders for GT. Eight needed in the last over, which is very, very gettable indeed. It is the impact player Tushar Deshpande who is bowling this last one. 

Wide attempted yorker, Rashid swings at it again and this time it goes over third man. It was no mistake this, Rashid certainly looked like he meant that. GT need 8 off 7 now. 

Well GT don't have much batting left but they needed 18 off 9, which is very much something Rashid Khan can go after. Chahar sends one into his wheelhouse and Rashid swings for the rafters. It goes into the stands over midwicket. Now they need 12 off 8!

Hangargekar gets another. Forget that wide and no ball early on, this lad has had a sensational debut thus far. Shankar skies this attempted big shot, Santner keeps his eye on the ball while back tracking and completes the catch. 

Shankar c Santner b Hangargekar 27 (21), GT need 23 off the last 12 balls

Hangargekar drops it short, Shankar picks it up. It is a tiny ground and so it flies over the boundary. How GT needed that, they need 23 to win off 14!

Just four runs off that 17th over and so that increases the required rate to exactly 10 for GT. These last few overs could be a see-saw game.

GT have kept this innings going at a good click and that four off the third ball of the last over kept that going but CSK will smell a chance here. Deepak Chahar comes in and he would be looking to be giving around 4-5 runs this over which will make things interesting indeed.

Shankar hits a slow length ball from Santner between long leg and deep extra cover. Stokes and Conway come in and then seem to slow down thinking the other is going to stop it. The ball ends up reaching the boundary. GT keeping pressure on CSK.

Holes out at deep midwicket. Gill's attempted pull goes off the toe end while trying to get it from wide outside off. That's a first wicket for an impact player.

Gill c Gaikwad b Deshpande 63 (36), GT 138/4 in 15 overs

Top edge for Gill and that goes to the boundary. Gill has moved to 56 off 33 balls.

Hagargekar digs it in short, Shankar pulls it right in the gap between long leg and deep square.

Gujarat in serious trouble now. Pandya sweeps around off, Jadeja tries to hit the top of off. Jadeja wins that battle as Pandya misses it completely and the GT captain have to go.

Pandya b Jadeja 8 (11), 111/3 in 12 overs

Single as Gill cuts it to deep cover. Half century in just 30 balls, what an innings Gill is playing here.

Jadeja fires the fifth ball of the 11th into the pads and Gill sweeps it to beat short fine leg. Then Gill smashes the last ball over extra cover for a six. He moves to 49.

GT need 86 to win from 60. Gill on 38 off 26, captain Hardik Pandya on three off as many. It is just Rahul Tewatia and Vijay Shankar after this who are the recognised batters after which comes the incredibly long tail starting with Rashid Khan.

Wide delivery from Hangargekar seemed to surprise Sudarshan. He chases after it and edges it to Dhoni. What a debut this is turning out to be for Hangargekar despite the terrible start to his first over. 

Sudharsan c Dhoni b Hangargekar 22 (17), GT 90/2 in 9.3 overs

GT 89/1 in 9 overs. Sudarshan looked set to get another four after sending one past short fine. But Conway slides to his left and stops the ball from reaching the boundary with his foot. Sliding tackled the boundary out of play. 

The impact player Sai Sudarshan is doing a great job here. Too short from Santner, Sudarshan pulls between deep backward square and deep mid.