Gujarat Titans became the champions in their debut season by defeating Rajasthan in the final of IPL-15. Gujarat became the second team after Rajasthan to win the trophy in its first season itself. When Rajasthan won the trophy in 2008, they were considered the weakest team in the tournament, but they smashed one after the other like Gujarat did this year.
Gujarat Titans under the captaincy of Hardik Pandya played like a complete team. The team topped the points table by winning 10 out of 14 matches till the league matches. In every match, some player was seen taking responsibility for the team.
Top 5 Performers of GT in IPL 2023
5. Mohammad Shami
Mohammed Shami's sharp bowling and his experience kept Gujarat in the game from the start in every match of the season. Handling the responsibility of bowling in the powerplay and death overs, Mohammed Shami took 20 wickets in 16 matches of the season. Shami's economy rate was only 8, even while bowling at the toughest ends of the innings.
4. Rashid Khan
Afghanistan spinner Rashid Khan, one of the top T20 bowlers in the world, is an already established match-winner and he has proved it this season as well.
Rashid Khan took 19 wickets in 16 matches of the season. His economy from him was 6.60. Rashid also scored runs at a strike rate of more than 200 in batting. He got to play 44 balls in the entire tournament in which he scored 91 runs. Against Hyderabad, Rashid scored 31 runs in 11 balls to give victory to the team.
3. Rahul Tewatia
Rahul Tewatia scored 217 runs in 16 matches of the tournament. He averaged 31 and had a strike rate of 147.62. Tewatia, with his quick innings from him, helped Gujarat win in the last over on more than one occasion and was instrumental in taking the team to the playoffs with ease.
2.David Miller
Showing the best game of his IPL career, Killer-Miller scored 481 runs in 16 matches of the tournament at an average of above 68. During this, his strike rate was 142.73 and his bat also got two quick half-centuries. Miller returned to the pavilion as a not-out batsman on nine occasions in 16 matches.
1. Hardik Pandya
Batting in the middle order, Pandya scored 487 runs in 15 matches for the team. During this, 4 half-centuries came from his bat and his strike rate was 131.27. Pandya, who was bowling very little due to injury before the tournament, also bowled moderately in IPL-15 and took 8 wickets in 15 matches.
His economy also remained below 8 during this period. In the final match, Hardik took 3 wickets for 17 runs and did not allow Rajasthan to make a big score. As a result of this, Gujarat became the champion by easily chasing the target.
