The first game of the Indian Premier League is finally here with Chennai Super Kings and Gujarat Titans taking the field at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Captain Hardik Pandya and Mahendra Singh Dhoni walked out for the toss and things went underway
Hardik won the toss
Hardik Pandya flipped the coin and it fell in his favor. Winning the toss, Gujarat Titans invited Chennai Super Kings to bat first. Mahendra Singh Dhoni seemed rather happy with the decision as he wanted to bat first anyway.
The two teams didn’t announce their playing 11 at the time of the toss as according to the new rules, they were allowed to take time to announce it after the toss happened. However, Mahendra Singh Dhoni did announce his 4 foreigners in the form of Moeen Ali, Ben Stokes, Devon Conway, and Mitchell Santner. On the other hand, Hardik Pandya would be faced with a decision to choose David Miller’s replacement for the first game who is missing.
David Miller missing
David Miller had to miss out on the first game of the season due to prior commitments with the national team. David Miller, the talented middle-order batsman from South Africa, will not be able to participate in Gujarat Titans’ first game of the upcoming cricket league as he has not yet joined the squad. Currently, Miller is playing in the ODI series against the Netherlands in his home country, and he will only be available for selection after April 1 when the series concludes.
Miller’s absence could prove to be a significant blow to the Titans, as he is a seasoned T20 player, known for his hard-hitting batting and athletic fielding. His experience and skill are assets to any team he represents, and the Titans will undoubtedly miss his presence in their first match. He was pivotal in the Gujarat Titans’ winning run last season.
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