Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra has made a bold prediction ahead of the IPL 2023 tournament, which is set to kick off with a match between the Gujarat Titans and the Chennai Super Kings on March 31st.
Chopra, who spoke on his show “AakashVani” on JioCinema, stated that he does not see the Gujarat Titans retaining the trophy this season, as it is a rare feat in the IPL. Chopra acknowledged that while the Titans have a good squad, he believes their batting may be a concern, as they lack sufficient power hitters.
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The Gujarat Titans made their debut in the IPL last season and went on to win the trophy in their first attempt, defeating the Rajasthan Royals in the final match. However, Chopra feels that it will be a challenge for the team to repeat this feat, especially as only two teams, Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians, have won back-to-back titles in the history of the tournament.
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Chopra pointed out that while the Titans have several talented batters such as Kane Williamson, Shubman Gill, and David Miller, their middle order may have some gaps. He highlighted Miller and Rahul Tewatia as the Titans’ most important players in the middle order, and also expressed concern over T20 not being Gill’s strongest format.
Overall, Chopra believes that the Titans have the potential to make it to the playoffs, but it remains to be seen whether they can lift the trophy again. With the IPL set to begin soon, cricket fans will be eagerly watching to see which team comes out on top this season.