Mumbai Indians fielded two debutants in their Indian Premier League (IPL) match against Gujarat Titans at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Monday (April 20). While Vidarbha batter Danish Malewar did not have the best of first games, managing only 2 runs off 4 balls, the other debutant, Krish Bhagar, still has a role to play in the match.
Heading into this contest on the back of a difficult run, MI opted for a shake-up in personnel and approach, bringing in young domestic performers as they attempt to break a four-match winless streak.
“We would have fielded as well. It’s obviously the last game for us as a group. We had to regroup and speak about what Mumbai Indians stands for and what kind of game we want to play,” Pandya said at the toss.
MI look for reset after poor run, back young domestic core
Pandya indicated that the team has had “a good amount of chats” internally after recent losses and is now focused on rebuilding momentum. They have backed their domestic core, handing two debuts.
“Most often than not, we have bounced back from such situations. This time we want to make sure we start the winning form and tick boxes whenever we are supposed to,” he said.
“Danish makes his Mumbai Indians debut. And Krish as well… he was part of the support bowlers, really impressed us,” Pandya confirmed at the toss. Earlier, the two youngsters were handed their caps.
The MI skipper avoided singling out specific areas but stressed the need for a collective improvement.
Who is Krish Bhagat and why MI have backed him
At 21, Krish Bhagat is a promising pace bowling all-rounder from Punjab who fits the mold of the utility player Mumbai Indians have historically successfully developed.
Bhagat’s path to the playing XI is yet another testament to MI’s scouting system; he initially joined the setup as a support bowler in the nets. His consistent discipline and ability to swing the ball at a brisk pace caught the eye of the coaching staff, leading to his formal induction into the squad as a replacement for the injured Atharva Ankolekar.
In domestic cricket, Bhagat has shown a knack for being a partnership breaker. Representing Punjab, he made waves in the CK Nayudu Trophy by picking up 30 wickets in just six matches. His white-ball credentials were further solidified during the 2025-26 Vijay Hazare Trophy, where he notched a gritty half-century (51) against Uttarakhand and claimed a three-wicket haul against Chhattisgarh.
With MI searching for a domestic seam-bowling option to support Jasprit Bumrah in the Powerplay, Bhagat provides a low-cost, high-potential solution.
Still no Rohit Sharma
The other big talking point from Mumbai’s Playing XI was the continued absence of Rohit Sharma. The former captain continues to recover from a hamstring injury and although he was spotted at the nets, the management has decided against rushing him back into the starting 11.
GT vs MI Playing XIs
Gujarat Titans (Playing XI): Shubman Gill(c), Sai Sudharsan, Jos Buttler(w), Washington Sundar, Glenn Phillips, Shahrukh Khan, Rashid Khan, Mohammed Siraj, Kagiso Rabada, Prasidh Krishna, Ashok Sharma
Mumbai Indians (Playing XI): Danish Malewar, Quinton de Kock(w), Naman Dhir, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya(c), Tilak Varma, Sherfane Rutherford, Mitchell Santner, Krish Bhagat, Jasprit Bumrah, AM Ghazanfar