Irish cricketer Joshua Little made history by becoming the first player from his country to participate in the Indian Premier League (IPL). He played for the Gujarat Titans in their opener against Chennai Super Kings at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Little was bought for ₹4.4 crore in the mini-auction ahead of the 16th edition of the league. Although he struggled in his first over, he made a good comeback in his second spell and picked up the wicket of experienced right-hander Ambati Rayudu in his third over. The GT skipper, Hardik Pandya, said that it was always good to play in Ahmedabad, while CSK skipper MS Dhoni said that the stadium had a fantastic atmosphere and that the team had prepared well for the game.
MS Dhoni, the captain of Chennai Super Kings, shared his thoughts about the wicket before the match. He said that they were also looking to bowl and the wicket appeared to be good and unlikely to change. He also mentioned that he was unsure if there would be dew on the ground due to rain the previous night. Dhoni expressed his excitement about playing in front of the crowd and praised the atmosphere in the stadium. He also mentioned that the team had good preparation for the match and assembled quite early. Dhoni also talked about the luxury of having an impact player in the team, which makes it easier to take decisions. Finally, he stated that the influence of all-rounder has become slightly less due to the rule.
