Preview: The Shubman Gill-led side lost their last game at home against Punjab. Chasing a massive target of 244, GT fell short by 11 runs, despite fighting efforts from Sai Sudharsan (74 off 41) and Jos Buttler (54 off 33). Their bowlers struggled to contain the opposition as Shreyas Iyer (97 off 42), Priyansh Arya (47 off 23), and Shashank Singh (44 off 16) guided PBKS to a formidable total. Rashid Khan, Kagiso Rabada, and Sai Kishore picked up wickets but couldn’t prevent the flow of runs. The 2022 champions will be eager to move past their defeat and put up a strong performance against MI.
On the other hand, Mumbai had a tough outing in their season opener against Chennai Super Kings. Batting first at Chepauk, they managed only 155/9, struggling against CSK’s bowling attack, which included Noor Ahmad and Khaleel Ahmed. Despite their bowlers’ best efforts, CSK chased down the target with five balls to spare, thanks to Rachin Ravindra (65 off 45) and Ruturaj Gaikwad (53 off 26). However, MI will be pleased with the return of their skipper Hardik Pandya, who missed the first game due to a ban. Notably, Pandya will be facing his former team after two successful seasons with them, including a title-winning campaign in 2022. In the 2024 edition, the two sides met just once, with Gujarat winning by six runs.
Indian Premier League 2025, 9th Match, GT vs MI
Venue: Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad
Date & Time: Saturday, March 29, 07:30 PM
Pitch Report: Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium is known for its batting-friendly pitch, offering good bounce. The average first-innings score is around 200, making it a paradise for batters. The last match at this venue saw over 450 runs scored, ensuring yet another high-scoring contest. Pacers might get some movement early on, but as the game progresses, the pitch tends to slow down, bringing spinners into play. Dew is expected in the second innings, which could influence captains to opt for bowling first. The weather is clear, with no rain forecasted. For the upcoming clash, the surface is expected to remain flat, much like in the previous match.
PROBABLE PLAYING XI
Gujarat Titans (GT)- Shubman Gill (c), Jos Buttler (wk), Sai Sudharsan, Shahrukh Khan, Rahul Tewatia, Ravisrinivasan Sai Kishore, Arshad Khan, Rashid Khan, Kagiso Rabada, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna.
Mumbai Indians (MI)- Rohit Sharma, Ryan Rickelton (wk), Will Jacks, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Naman Dhir, Hardik Pandya (c), Mitchell Santner, Deepak Chahar, Trent Boult, Satyanarayana Raju.
