CHENNAI: The Chennai Super Kings vs Gujarat Titans final in the last edition of the IPL is still clear in everyone's memory. Both the teams had produced two excellent encounters last season. They will be hoping to produce a similar kind of performance when they meet again at Chepauk on Tuesday evening.
CSK, holders, started their campaign with a win at home against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, while Gujarat also enjoyed a winning start (Mumbai Indians at home).
The contest many believe will be a battle between two new captains, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Shubman Gill. Both openers will be watched for their tactical acumen and ability with the bat.
In their last game, all the CSK batters got good starts. While that's always a plus, you need that one big score from one of your top-order players to press home the advantage. But CSK coach Stephen Fleming is not worried.
''I liked the intent of the batters," he said during the pre-match press conference.
"We have a longer batting lineup with the extra player and the intent our batters showed was great. You don't always get one big score, so to have everybody contributing was a positive as well, but yeah, games are easier if one player gets a 75 plus so that doesn't always happen."
''We don't know who is going to score (big) tomorrow, but players are training well for that occasion and the intent that they have got is very encouraging,'' he added.
On the role of the anchor player, he said: "... now it's not defined like that. One day a player will get away better than the other player. Rachin (Ravindra) was nice and positive the other day, be it Ruturaj or another opening combination tomorrow. So we are still early on in the tournament, playing around with our combinations, but we want the players to be positive on a given day,'' said Fleming.
''Last year Ruturaj and Devon (Conway) played their role, they brought their runs in parts, so this year things are different for us. The volume of runs those two (Ruturaj, Devon) got last year was a big reason for us progressing through the competition,'' he added.
In the last game, Ravindra played an excellent hand, while another CSK debutant, Mustafizur Rahman, foxed RCB with his bowling. While Fleming confirmed that Matheesha Pathirana is fit and available for selection, the hosts are likely to play the same XI.
Spinners Rashid Khan and local boy Sai Kishore will be crucial for the visitors.
''Playing games with short breaks (just a day's rest from the next game) is part of the IPL," Sai Sudharsan had told this daily a few days ago. "We have learnt to cope up with the travel and play in different conditions. Eagerly looking to play at Chepauk. One area that I am trying to improve is learning how to pace my innings from both the coaches and seniors. Keen to take one match at a time and do well."