IPL 2024: Predicting 3 players who could pick up the most wickets in today's CSK vs GT match
The Chennai Super Kings (CSK) hosting the Gujarat Titans (GT) at Chepauk on Tuesday has all the makings of the most high-quality clash of IPL 2024 so far. It's a repeat of the IPL 2023 final, although now at the champions' den, and it's a tie between the two most successful teams in the last two years.
The Titans would be smelling sweet revenge of the last-over defeat in Ahmedabad. New captains Shubman Gill and Ruturaj Gaikwad have a lot to prove, and this game could be the beginning of a long rivalry. Ashish Nehra's hands-on approach is being pit against Stephen Fleming's 'give the team the space' method.
For us, it's the most difficult game to predict which three bowlers could be among the most wickets. Both teams are stacked with quality, and perhaps as a testament to their improvement, the Titans look like they have the perfect arsenal to be successful at Chepauk. Still, we have tried, and here's the result:
#3 Mustafizur Rahman
CSK's Player of the Match in the last game, Mustafizur Rahman finally looked at home in a franchise in the IPL. His four wickets against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) were a display of his entire range, which wasn't coming to the fore for clubs or country for a long, long time. And there's no reason why he can't do it again.
Shubman Gill and Wriddhiman Saha would be susceptible to his left-arm angle early on. And CSK's bowling lineup is such that they would never really let go of pressure in any phase, demanding batters to continue taking risks. Ruturaj Gaikwad will again use him as the all-phase strike bowler, and wickets could follow.
#2 R Sai Kishore
It's the homecoming of the highest wicket-taker of the 2023-24 Ranji Trophy. R Sai Kishore seems to have sealed a spot in the Titans' side ahead of Noor Ahmad and looked stunning against the Mumbai Indians, taking the big wicket of Rohit Sharma that brought his team back into the game.
The left-arm spinner is India material. Everyone knows that, and this could be the match where he brings all that talent into fruition. He has more experience of bowling at Chepauk than most of the CSK bowlers and could utilise the grip in the surface with his height, creating a lot of wicket-taking opportunities for the Titans.
His biggest nemesis will be Shivam Dube, but if he and the Titans can overcome that, Sai Kishore might be the best bowler on display.
#1 Mohit Sharma
First of all, some honarable mentions: Spencer Johnson's pace could be a big differential option at Chepauk, while Rashid Khan and Ravindra Jadeja could also find a way to make sure that batters don't just play them out instead of being agressive.
Now, let's come to another homecoming. Mohit Sharma has 18 wickets in 14 matches at an average of 19.33 at Chepauk. Two of those wickets came in IPL 2023, when he helped the Titans put up a fight, and the rest are from his time at CSK when he was one of the best bowlers on the sluggish wicket.
Mohit's variations were top-notch against MI, and they could be even more effective on Tuesday. CSK's batting group is trying to go harder than usual, which could work in the Titans veteran's favor as well.