IPL 2025: Hardik Pandya Leads Mumbai Indians in Match Against Gujarat Titans
Click to start listening
Synopsis
In the ninth match of IPL 2025, Hardik Pandya returns to captain the Mumbai Indians against the Gujarat Titans at Narendra Modi Stadium. After both teams lost their opening games, this match is crucial for securing points in the league.
Key Takeaways
- Hardik Pandya returns to captain Mumbai Indians.
- Teams are looking for their first win after defeats.
- Mujeeb Ur Rahman included in MI's playing eleven.
- GT's Shubman Gill remains confident despite last match's loss.
- Impact substitutes may change for both teams.
Ahmedabad, March 29 (NationPress) Hardik Pandya makes his return to captain the Mumbai Indians as the five-time champions won the toss and chose to bowl first against the Gujarat Titans in the ninth match of IPL 2025 at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Saturday.
Both teams are seeking their first victory after losing their opening matches, making this a crucial encounter for gaining points. Hardik was absent during MI's first game against Chennai Super Kings due to a one-match suspension for an earlier slow over rate.
In addition to Hardik, spinner Muteeb Ur Rahman is part of the starting eleven, while Robin Minz, Will Jacks, and Vignesh Puthur, who had a debut performance of 3-32 against CSK, have been left out. “The primary reason is the uncertainty of the pitch's behavior and the dew factor. It’s often advantageous to bat second on the black-soil pitch. Last year, we faced similar conditions and failed to secure a win despite having it under control,” Hardik explained.
“The preparations have been excellent, and the team is enthusiastic, supporting one another. It’s a positive atmosphere. I’m back, and we’re keeping our options open. It’s all about playing quality cricket, having the right strategies, and enjoying the match,” he added.
On the other hand, GT captain Shubman Gill mentioned that he would have preferred to bowl first as well. His playing eleven remains unchanged. “We have batted first many times here, so our approach does not alter. It’s crucial to gauge the conditions and determine a target, and if we are chasing, we focus on reaching that target,” he stated.
“There were many positives from our last game; we just lost momentum in the middle overs, which cost us. Still, we managed to score around 200 runs in 14 overs. We have retained the same team but might consider one change with the impact substitute. We aim for a left-right opening combination, and Jos Buttler has been performing well at three for England, so his role remains unchanged,” he remarked.
Playing XIs
Gujarat Titans: Shubman Gill (captain), B Sai Sudharsan, Jos Buttler (wk), Sherfane Rutherford, Rahul Tewatia, Shahrukh Khan, Rashid Khan, R Sai Kishore, Kagiso Rabada, Mohammed Siraj, and Prasidh Krishna
Impact Substitutes: Washington Sundar, Glenn Phillips, Ishant Sharma, Anuj Rawat, Mahipal Lomror
Mumbai Indians: Rohit Sharma, Ryan Rickelton (wk), Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya (captain), Tilak Varma, Naman Dhir, Mitchell Santner, Deepak Chahar, Trent Boult, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, and Satyanarayana Raju
Impact Substitutes: Robin Minz, Ashwani Kumar, Raj Bawa, Corbin Bosch, and Will Jacks
