The IPL 2023 will begin on March 31 with defending champions Gujarat Titans hosting Chennai Super Kings at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad, where Hardik Pandya‘s team won the IPL 2022 trophy last year by defeating Rajasthan Royals in the final.
The major talking point around the IPL 2023, which is the 16th edition of the competition, is that the tournament returns to the traditional home-and-away format for the first time since 2019.
Each team will play 7 home and 7 away matches in the league phase as they used to before the pandemic caused sent all things haywire.
Speaking about the strength of the teams in IPL 2023, each team – in any league around the world – eyes a destructive opening pair – batters who could make the most use of the powerplay fielding restrictions in the first 6 overs.
Here are the 2 strongest opening pairs in IPL 2023:
David Warner-Prithvi Shaw
The David Warner–Prithvi Shaw duo is as destructive and intimidating as it can get in IPL 2023. The duo joined hands last season when Delhi Capitals purchased the Australia dynamo in the auction and they set alight the tournament nicely.
Both are really aggressive, with Shaw even more determined to go gung-ho right from the first over in order to maximize the powerplay. Last season, Warner allowed Shaw to dominate the powerplay and he himself also played aggressive strokes, but was also aware of his responsibility to bat deeper into the innings.
In IPL 2022, Warner averaged 48 and Shaw averaged 28 with both their strike rates around 150.
KL Rahul-Quinton de Kock
Lucknow Super Giants opening combo of skipper KL Rahul and Quinton de Kock was amongst the best opening pairs in IPL 2023. The pair scored big runs, collectively and individually.
Rahul was the second-highest run-scorer in IPL 2023 with 616 runs at an average of 51 with the help of 2 centuries and 4 fifties, while Quinton de Kock hit 1 century and 3 fifties in his 508-run season, ending as the 3rd highest run-scorer.
Their best partnership came in a crucial game against KKR: Rahul and de Kock became the first pair to bat through 20 overs in an IPL innings, making a 210-run unbeaten partnership, which became the the highest opening stand in the IPL going past 185 between David Warner and Jonny Bairstow for Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Both were instrumental in LSG reaching the playoffs, but lost to RCB in the Eliminator. Once again, as LSG gear up for the IPL 2023, they will have major hopes and expectations from their two experienced openers.
