The Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad is set to witness a high-octane showdown as Gujarat Titans (GT) take on Mumbai Indians (MI) in Match 9 of IPL 2025. However, all eyes will be on Hardik Pandya.
Pandya, who led GT to their maiden IPL triumph in 2022, returns to the ground where last IPL he faced the wrath of GT fans following his switch back to Mumbai Indians. Over a year ago, Ahmedabad greeted their former skipper with a hostile reception and the booing continued across IPL venues. Now, as MI’s leader, Pandya will look to silence the critics both with the bat and ball.
Ahead of the match, MI head coach Mahela Jayawardene addressed the lingering tension and said, “Fans are fans and emotions are part of the game. But 12 months on, Hardik has achieved a lot more. I hope people move past last year’s events and simply enjoy a good game of cricket.”
Key players to watch
The spotlight is also on MI’s Rohit Sharma, who suffered a duck in the season opener. He will have a tough battle against GT’s pace attack, featuring Kagiso Rabada and Mohammed Siraj. Meanwhile, GT’s captain Shubman Gill, who has led his team to a 3-2 head-to-head advantage over MI, will aim to maintain their unbeaten 3-0 record at this venue. History suggests that batting first is an advantage in this rivalry, with the side setting a target emerging victorious.
Both GT and MI boast formidable batting line-ups, well-equipped to rack up massive totals. GT, in particular, has a balanced blend of right- and left-handed batters, making them a versatile threat. If Ahmedabad delivers another batting-friendly track, fans could be in for yet another high-scoring spectacle.
Pitch and weather report
Ahmedabad is expected to be hot during the day, with temperatures reaching 38°C, though they will drop to the mid-to-high 20s during the match. While no rain is in the forecast, dew could play a crucial role, making the pitch better for batting in the second innings. GT’s decision to chase against PBKS in their last game nearly paid off, despite PBKS setting a mammoth 243-run target.
Notably, six of the eight games played at this venue in IPL 2024 were won by the team batting second, making the toss a significant factor in determining the outcome of this much-anticipated encounter.
Predicted Playing XIs
Mumbai Indians
Batting 1st: Rohit Sharma, Ryan Rickelton (wk), Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Will Jacks, Hardik Pandya, Robin Minz, Mitchell Santner, Trent Boult, Deepak Chahar, Satyanarayana Raju
Bowling 1st: Ryan Rickelton (wk), Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Hardik Pandya, Will Jacks, Robin Minz, Mitchell Santner, Trent Boult, Deepak Chahar, Satyanarayana Raju, Vignesh Puthur
Impact Players: Rohit Sharma/ Vignesh Puthur, Reece Topley, Shrijith Krishnan, Ashwani Kumar, Naman Dhir
Gujarat Titans
Batting 1st: Shubman Gill, Sai Sudharsan, Jos Buttler, Sherfane Rutherford, Shah Rukh Khan, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, R. Sai Kishore, Arshad Khan, Mohammed Siraj, Kagiso Rabada
Bowling 1st: Shubman Gill, Sai Sudharsan, Jos Buttler, Shah Rukh Khan, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, R. Sai Kishore, Arshad Khan, Mohammed Siraj, Kagiso Rabada, Prasidh Krishna
Impact Players: Sherfane Rutherford/ Prasidh Krishna, Anuj Rawat, Ishant Sharma, Glenn Phillips, Washington Sundar