Gujarat won the IPL 2022 under Hardik Pandya's leadership, and with a side that made only minor adjustments to an already strong lineup, there is no reason why they can't do it again. But, they will be without a few key players in the first few games of the season.
Gujarat Titans’ team is stocked to the full of quality. Hardik Pandya’s team will be eager to get the tournament started with a win against a substantially stronger Chennai outfit.
Gujarat won the IPL 2022 under Hardik Pandya’s leadership, and with a side that made only minor adjustments to an already strong lineup, there is no reason why they can’t do it again. But, they will be without a few key players in the first few games of this IPL 2023 season.
South African players will not be seen in the IPL 2023 opening matches. In fact, the Proteas squad will face the Netherlands in the One-Day International series. And David Miller has announced that South African players (IPL 2023 Start Date) would be unable to compete in the first match. At the same time, Miller has also disclosed that Gujarat Giants are also furious with him for not participating.
In the 2022 season, he scored 481 runs with an average of 68.71 and a strike rate of 142.73. His numbers and his recent performance indicate that the Titans will notice his absence when they hit the field for their first few tournament games.
Victory in both the ODI matches against the Dutch side will demand a straight qualifying in the 2019 ICC World Cup, due to be hosted in India. Gujarat Giants paid three crores for David Miller in 2022. Gujarat Giants were ‘Very Disappointed’ with the scenario after their star player will miss the first two games.
Also Read: Complete List of CSK Players Unavailable for First Half of IPL 2023
Yash Dayal of the Gujarat Titans will also be missing the first half of the IPL for as he recovers from a lower-back injury. Dayal has 11 wickets in the nine IPL matches he has played thus far. If he can perform at his peak against Chennai, he might cause severe issues for the squad.
“They were really upset. It’s always a big thing playing in Ahmedabad, especially in an opening game against Chennai. I am a bit disappointed to be missing that, but to put on the green and gold has always been a huge privilege and honour. And we have got some work to do in those two games against the Netherlands, so I think having a strong team – the best squad we can pick – is definitely the way forward. I will be missing one game so, whether I’m somewhat disappointed or not, the process has taken place,” Miller told a press conference in Potchefstroom.
The CSA is yet to reveal the centrally contracted players for the IPL. As a result, the Proteas players will only come to India to participate in the IPL after finishing their ODI series against the Netherlands. “We weren’t given an option in any way (by CSA). Be that as it may, we’ve got our best squad on the park and we’ve got a lot of work to do in those two games. So it will be nice to be able to focus on that,” Miller Concluded.
