Kolkata: Rain played spoilsport in Ahmedabad on Sunday as the highly-anticipated IPL 2023 Final was moved to the Reserve Day on Monday.
Inclement weather came as a setback to the fans but it hasn't dampened their morale.
A large number of spectators are expected to grace the Narendra Modi Stadium to watch defending champions Gujarat Titans take on Chennai Super Kings in the grand finale.
The high stakes contest between two strong and deserving teams in IPL 2023 is expected to live up to the billings and fans are hoping the sky will be clear in the evening.
Fans descended at Narendra Modi Stadium in large numbers on Sunday to support their favourite teams in the titular clash of the Incredible T20.
Attention will once again be on proficient Gujarat Titans' opening batter Shubman Gill, who is the Orange Cap holder of the season. The young India batter, who has slammed three centuries in the last four innings, will be aiming to become the second batter after Virat Kohli to score 900-plus runs in a single season.
Former India cricketer Mohammed Kaif lauded Gill for his ability to mould himself according to the situation of the game and that makes him such an exciting batter.
Speaking on Star Sports' Cricket Live, Kaif said, "Shubman Gill has this unique ability to adapt to the demand of the situation. He can play explosive shots at the start of the innings and even in the middle overs, he is capable of hitting those big shots. He generally looks to set his eyes first and then go ballistic in the middle overs which is a great sign for any big batter. He knows how to convert the starts into big knocks consistently."
The sea of yellow will once again descend in the stadium in large number for one last time in this season and millions will be glued to their television screens to watch their beloved 'Thala' MS Dhoni in action in IPL 2023.
Not just cricket fans, cricket legend like Sunil Gavaskar will also be waiting for the CSK captain to walk in the middle and lead the Yellow Army from the front. Gavaskar wishes to take another autograph from MSD on his shirt after the TATA IPL 2023 Final.
Gavaskar said, "I've been a fan of MS Dhoni for all that he's done for Indian Cricket. He's proven his greatness year after year and I will be his fan forever. Hopefully, I'll get another autograph from him after the IPL Final."
Former India cricketer Harbhajan Singh has hailed MS Dhoni and CSK for keeping things simple and credited this approach is behind their success.
Harbhajan said, "Once his team is set, MS Dhoni and the team management doesn't tamper with the Playing 11 no matter who is available on the bench. A player like Ben Stokes - their most expensive player at auction - had to sit on the bench even after regaining his fitness because the team combination was doing well. Belief in players takes a big team forward and CSK is testimony to the same."
In an exclusive interview on ESPNCricinfo, Tom Moody and Sanjay Manjrekar previewed the IPL final between Titans and CSK. They discussed what is CSK’s best chance to dismiss Shubhman Gill early and whether the toss will play a factor for Gujarat Titans. (UNI)