The ninth game of IPL 2025 will be played between Mumbai Indians and Gujarat titans on 29th March in Ahmedabad.
Match Preview
Mumbai Indians, bolstered by the return of captain Hardik Pandya, will be eager to stage a strong comeback following a disappointing defeat against Chennai Super Kings in their previous encounter.
Pandya’s role will be crucial, particularly in the bowling department, where the team faces a significant void due to the absence of their pace spearhead, Jasprit Bumrah.
In their previous match, Mumbai Indians’ top order struggled to deliver substantial runs. However, this is expected to be merely an anomaly, given the stellar form their openers, Rohit Sharma and Ryan Rickelton, have displayed since last year.
Despite a valiant effort from their top three batters, Gujarat Titans fell short by 11 runs while chasing a formidable target of 244 against Punjab Kings in their season opener.
As evident in their previous match, Mumbai Indians’ batters thrive against pace, making the role of Gujarat Titans’ spin duo, Rashid Khan and Sai Kishore, crucial in this contest. Rashid, who was not at his best in the last game, will also be eager to redeem himself with a match-winning performance.
In the upcoming game, Gill will have to take responsibility for Titans, the opening batter has given strong performances in ODIs but has been struggling to get his groove back in the shorter format of the game. Although he scored 33 off just 14 balls in the last game, Gill is expected to do more.
And if we talk about MI, SuryaKumar Yadav will have to deliver. He has only scored 119 runs in his last 10 innings for Mumbai, which is now a concerning point. Even in the 1st game, he could not contribute well to the team’s total. And in a venue like Ahmedabad, Kumar should announce his return in style.
Both teams will heavily rely on their top order, with Gujarat Titans depending on it even more. This makes the battle with the new ball particularly intriguing, as it is a key strength for both sides and could play a decisive role in shaping the outcome of the match.
Probable XIIs
Gujarat Titans
Sai Sudharshan, Shubman Gill (C), Jos Buttler (WK) , Shahrukh Khan, Sherfane Rutherford, Mahipal Lormor, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Sai Kishore, Kagiso Rabada, Muhammad Siraj, Prasidh Krishna
Mumbai Indians
Rohit Sharma, Ryan Rickleton (WK) ,Will Jacks, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Verma, Hardik Pandya (C), Naman Dhir, Mitchell Santner , Deepak Chahar, Trent Boult, Satyanarayana Raju , Vignesh Puthur
Head to Head
Gujarat Titans and Mumbai Indians have clashed five times, with Gujarat emerging victorious in three encounters, while Mumbai has triumphed on two occasions.
Pitch and Weather Report
Ahmedabad is traditionally a flat batting surface, making a high-scoring contest likely. However, early assistance for the pacers with the new ball could provide an exciting challenge for the batters upfront.
Talking about weather, a hot day is expected during the game with a maximum of 38 degrees Celsius.
Prediction:
MI are expected to win this encounter given they have a more well-rounded and structured team as compared to the GT. Their middle-order and pace bowling is exceptional as well.
Where to Watch
India: Star Sports Network, JioHotstar
Australia: Kayo TV, FoxTel Go
Bangladesh: T Sports, Toffee app
New Zealand: Sky Sports NZ
South Africa: SuperSport
Sri Lanka: Dialog
UK: Sky Sports, SkyGo
USA: Willow TV
Afghanistan: ATN
MENA: Cricbuzz
