IPL 2025: Pandya Returns as Mumbai Aims for First Win Against Hosts Gujarat

Ahmedabad: Mumbai Indians (MI) will be looking to bounce back from their disappointing start to the IPL 2025 season as they prepare to take on Gujarat Titans (GT) at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Saturday. Both teams are yet to open their account after losing their respective opening matches, making this encounter a crucial one.

Hardik Pandya’s Return Boosts Mumbai Indians

A major boost for Mumbai ahead of this clash is the return of their captain, Hardik Pandya. Pandya missed their season opener against Chennai Super Kings due to a suspension for an over-rate offence in IPL 2024. His absence was keenly felt, with MI failing to post a competitive total of 155/9 against CSK, eventually losing by four wickets. With Pandya back, MI will be hoping for an improved performance both with the bat and the ball.

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MI’s Batting and Bowling Concerns

Mumbai’s batting lineup will need to improve after their below-par performance in the opener. Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav will need to find their form, especially with the Ahmedabad conditions expected to be more favourable for batting. Pandya’s return adds strength to the middle order and provides an additional bowling option during the powerplay and death overs.

However, MI will still be without their pace spearhead, Jasprit Bumrah, who is recovering from a back injury. His absence leaves a significant gap in the bowling attack, putting pressure on Mohammed Siraj, who had a poor outing in the first match, conceding 54 runs.

Gujarat Titans’ Struggles and Key Players

Gujarat Titans, led by Shubman Gill, also have their own challenges to address. Despite a spirited chase against Punjab Kings in their opener, where they fell short by just 11 runs while chasing a massive 244, their bowling unit struggled. The home side will look to Kagiso Rabada and Rashid Khan to deliver against MI’s formidable batting lineup, but the lack of experienced Indian pacers could pose a problem for coach Ashish Nehra.

The Titans will also have to decide on their overseas combination. With limited variety in their Indian pace attack—Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, and Ishant Sharma all rely on a similar hit-the-deck approach—Rabada will need to deliver with the new ball.

Ahmedabad Pitch and Match Expectations

The Ahmedabad pitch is expected to favour batters, as seen in the high-scoring thriller between Gujarat and Punjab, where 475 runs were scored in 40 overs. With short boundaries and true bounce, another high-scoring match could be on the cards, placing additional pressure on the bowlers to execute their plans effectively.

Squads:

Mumbai Indians:
Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Robin Minz, Ryan Rickleton, Shrijith Krishnan, Bevon Jacobs, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Naman Dhir, Will Jacks, Mitchell Santner, Raj Angad Bawa, Vignesh Puthur, Corbin Bosch, Trent Boult, Karn Sharma, Deepak Chahar, Ashwani Kumar, Reece Topley, Satyanarayana Penmetsa, Arjun Tendulkar, Mubeeb-ur-Rahman, Jasprit Bumrah.

Gujarat Titans:
Shubman Gill, Jos Buttler, Kumar Kushagra, Anuj Rawat, Sherfane Rutherford, Glenn Phillips, Nishant Sindhu, Mahipal Lomror, Washington Sundar, Mohd. Arshad Khan, Sai Kishore, Jayant Yadav, Karim Janat, Sai Sudharsan, Shahrukh Khan, Kagiso Rabada, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Manav Suthar, Gerald Coetzee, Gurnoor Singh Brar, Ishant Sharma, Kulwant Khejroliya, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan.