Before the Indian T20 League season began, very few could even have imagined a scenario where Chennai, the most relentless team in the tournament’s history and defending champions, were stuck in 9th place, while Gujarat, one of 2 new franchises, led the way at the top of the table. Yet, 5 games into the season, that is the reality.
Gujarat have been brilliant with the ball in most matches. M. Shami struck the early blows, R. Khan has been at his consistent best, and L. Ferguson’s pace has stopped several teams in their tracks. But it’s not as though the batters have lagged behind. H. Pandya, the captain, has led the way, and there has been at least one innings of note from S. Gill, D. Miller, R. Tewatia and A. Manohar. Few of the XIs look as well balanced as Gujarat’s at the moment.
Chennai, who lost several dream team players during the auction, have really struggled with the ball. D. Chahar has now been ruled out of the entire season, leaving a big question mark over their ability to take new-ball wickets, and only D. Bravo has taken more than 5. The batting of S. Dube and R. Uthappa inspired a first win of the season, but make no mistake, Chennai had problems, both in terms of identifying their best XI and keeping opposition batters in check. This will be a test of both their quality and nerve.
Match Details
- Match: Gujarat vs. Chennai, Match 29
- Venue: Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Pune
- Date & Time: Apr 17, 2022, at 7.30 PM IST
Gujarat vs. Chennai Match 29 Probable Playing XIs
Team Gujarat
S. Gill, M. Wade (WK), V. Shankar, H. Pandya (C), D. Miller, R. Tewatia, A. Manohar, R. Khan, L. Ferguson, M. Shami, Y. Dayal
Team Chennai
R. Gaikwad, R. Uthappa, M. Ali, S. Dube, R. Jadeja (C), M.S. Dhoni (WK), A. Rayudu, D. Bravo, C. Jordan, M. Theekshana, M. Choudhary
Chennai vs. Gujarat HEAD-TO-HEAD RECORD
This is the first meeting between Chennai, the league’s most consistent team, and Gujarat, one of the 2 new franchises.
Weather Report
Despite summer having set in in Pune, the players should enjoy pleasant weather, with the temperature around 24°C at the start of play.
Pitch Report For Gujarat vs. Chennai Match
Pune’s matches have followed a certain pattern this season. Scores over 170 have been defended, while those below it have been chased down.
Toss
This is one venue where the side batting first has had more joy, with 3 wins from 5 matches.
TOP FANTASY PICKS For Gujarat vs. Chennai Match
Team Gujarat
- H. Pandya hasn’t just got the Gujarat captaincy to think of. He’s also fighting to get his place back in the Indian team. So far, with 228 runs and 4 wickets, he has done a stellar job, taking Gujarat top of the table.
- S. Gill has made exactly 200 runs at a strike-rate of 152.67. The 2 big innings he has played were both masterpieces of shot-making and composure.
- L. Ferguson is now Gujarat’s leading wicket-taker with 8, having nudged ahead of M. Shami and R. Khan. The New Zealander isn’t just quick, he bowls a heavy ball that can jar bat handles.
Team Chennai
- S. Dube has repaid the faith Chennai showed in him at the auction with 207 runs at a stunning strike-rate of 176.92. His 95* against Bangalore was instrumental in the team’s first win of the season.
- R. Uthappa hasn’t really grabbed the headlines since his best seasons with Kolkata nearly a decade ago. Now on the wrong side of 35, he has rediscovered his fluency with Chennai, scoring 194 runs at a strike-rate of 163.02.
- D. Bravo has gone at nearly 9 runs an over in Chennai’s nightmarish start to the season. But unlike his teammates, he has picked up wickets regularly as well, taking 7 in 5 matches. His variations remain a real challenge in the final overs of an innings.
Gujarat vs. Chennai Match HOWZAT DREAM TEAM
- Wicketkeeper: M. Wade
- Batters: S. Gill, S. Dube, R. Uthappa
- All-rounders: H. Pandya, R. Jadeja, M. Ali
- Bowlers: M. Shami, R. Khan, D. Bravo, L. Ferguson
- Captain: H. Pandya/S. Dube
- Vice Captain: R. Jadeja/L. Ferguson
Indian T20 League 2022, Match 28: PUN vs HYD – HOWZAT Dream Team
NOTE: The Howzat dream team above is just a suggestion. You can select your own team from today’s fantasy match prediction and play all the fantasy cricket matches of the Indian T20 League 2022. Also, don’t forget to make any necessary changes to your team once the actual playing 11 is announced by each team (30 minutes before the start of the match) as some players you have selected might not be part of the team playing.
Download the favorite fantasy cricket app and select your own team, Howzat!
