Former Australian all-rounder Tom Moody tipped Gujarat Titans as the most consistent team throughout IPL 2023. The Titans won 10 out of the 14 matches they played in the league stage to top the points table and qualify for the playoffs.
But, they lost the first qualifier against Chennai Super Kings by 15 runs. However, they made a resounding comeback in the second qualifier against Mumbai Indians as they won by a mammoth margin of 62 runs after Shubman Gill scored a majestic knock of 129 runs.
But they could not cross the final hurdle against Chennai Super Kings as they lost the summit clash by five wickets (DLS method). Meanwhile, after winning the title in 2022, Gujarat Titans once again proved their mettle in IPL 2023 and they were able to come up with a collective effort.
Players like Shubman Gill, Wriddhiman Saha, Sai Sudharsan, Rashid Khan, Vijay Shankar, Mohammed Shami, Noor Ahmad, and Mohit Sharma performed consistently for the team and played a key role in the success of the Hardik Pandya-led team.
“I must admit I was surprised to see GT lose this final. They were my favorites going into it. They had most bases covered in all departments; their batting so strong and diverse and deep. They were also probably the most consistent side throughout the whole season, winning the most amount of games,” said Moody on ESPN Cricinfo.
Former SRH head coach feels losing the first qualifier against CSK, had a negative impact on Gujarat Titans as they could not bounce back from that loss in the final.
“I just wonder whether the first game in the playoffs against Chennai, where they lost that game so significantly, was still at the back of their minds – playing against a side that they knew that had just beaten them up recently. Chennai had their eye on the target and found themselves lifting another trophy,” Moody added.
Moody showered praise on the team’s bowling attack for their consistent performances. Shami finished as the leading wicket-taker with 28 wickets whereas Rashid Khan and Mohit Sharma bagged 27 wickets apiece for GT to play a key role in the success of the team.
“The most defining moment is their bowling dominance. You only have to look at the wicket-takers in the whole IPL and look at who heads the list. Led by Mohammed Shami, you’ve got Rashid Khan right up there. You’ve got Mohit Sharma right up there. It tells you that they are dominating with the ball,” said Moody.
