IPL 2023: Impact player rule luxury to have, says MS Dhoni as GT opt to bowl vs CSK

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain MS Dhoni has termed the Impact Player rule a "luxury" ahead of the opening game of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023.

Gujarat Titans (GT) skipper Hardik Pandya won the toss on Friday at Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad and opted to bowl against CSK. Dhoni's comments about the Impact Player rule came at the toss. Hardik, on the other hand, said he has asked head coach Ashish Nehra to decide in regards to the rule.

The Impact Player rule allows a team to bring in an Impact Player at any point in an innings to replace a player from the XI after the toss.

Speaking at the toss, GT captain Hardik said," Good to play here and the kind of crowd we get here is exciting. I think almost everyone from the country has got motivation by him [Dhoni] and nothing better than starting the season with Dhoni. I've been a fan and admirer of him. I want boys to enjoy it; the result will take care of itself. Impact Player is different, so I've left it to him [Nehra]. Ashu pa was up all night. I don't know and I've passed on the team."

Dhoni, who was also looking to bowl, said," I don't think it [the pitch] will change. Last night it rained and I don't know if there will be dew. The preparation has been good and we assembled early [in Chennai].

"Overall, it seems as if we've done okay. It [Impact Player rule] is a luxury to have and it becomes slightly easy to use here because in domestic it was at the 14th over. Four foreigners - Moeen, Stokes, Santner and Conway - and the others will fight for that one spot."

Last season, CSK, the four-time champions, finished ninth in the 10-team IPL table. GT, playing their maiden season, went on to lift the IPL trophy by beating Rajasthan Royals (RR) in the final.

Gujarat Titans vs Chennai Super Kings: Playing XI

GT XI: Wriddhiman Saha(wk), Shubman Gill, Kane Williamson, Hardik Pandya(c), Vijay Shankar, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Mohammed Shami, Joshua Little, Yash Dayal, Alzarri Joseph

CSK XI: Devon Conway, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Moeen Ali, Ben Stokes, Ambati Rayudu, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni(wk/c), Mitchell Santner, Deepak Chahar, Rajvardhan Hangargekar