Ahmedabad: Hardik Pandya is set to face a defining moment as he returns to Ahmedabad with the Mumbai Indians (MI), squaring off against his former team, the Gujarat Titans (GT), at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Saturday. The match will mark Pandya’s comeback after missing the opening game and follows a tumultuous reception from fans last season.
Pandya’s transition from GT to MI did not sit well with many supporters, but his pivotal contributions to India’s victories in the 2024 T20 World Cup and the Champions Trophy earlier this year have reshaped his legacy. Mumbai Indians head coach Mahela Jayawardene expressed optimism that fans would move past previous sentiments, emphasizing the importance of enjoying the game.
Despite MI’s struggles with poor starts, Jayawardene hopes Pandya’s return will bolster the team’s performance. MI’s opener Rohit Sharma, who faced a duck in their season opener, will seek to redeem himself alongside Ryan Rickelton. However, the team will need to counter GT’s strong bowling attack led by Mohammed Siraj and Kagiso Rabada, with the spin duo of Rashid Khan and Sai Kishore posing additional challenges.
GT, led by Shubman Gill, also aims to bounce back after a narrow defeat against Punjab Kings. The presence of power-hitters like Jos Buttler and Sherfane Rutherford enhances their batting depth, but vulnerabilities in their middle order remain evident. Assistant coach Parthiv Patel stressed the importance of disciplined bowling, highlighting how decisive overs can influence T20 matches.
The Ahmedabad pitch has favored teams batting first, with GT enjoying a 3-0 record against MI at the venue. Dew during the evening could further influence the toss outcome. With both teams eager to claim their first victory of the season, the high-stakes clash promises an intense battle.
Team Line-ups ( predicted XI)
Gujarat Titans: Shubman Gill (C), Jos Buttler(wk), Sai Sudharsan, Shahrukh Khan, Sherfane Rutherford, Washington Sundar, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, R Sai Kishore, Kagiso Rabada, Prasidh Krishna, Mohammed Siraj.
Impact Player options (GT): Sherfane Rutherford/ Prasidh Krishna, Anuj Rawat, Ishant Sharma, Glenn Phillips, Washington Sundar
Mumbai Indians: Ryan Rickelton (wk), Rohit Sharma, Will Jacks, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya (C), Naman Dhir, Mitchell Santner, Deepak Chahar, Trent Boult, Satyanarayana Raju Vignesh Puthur.
Impact Player options(MI): Rohit Sharma/ Vignesh Puthur, Reece Topley, Shrijith Krishnan, Ashwani Kumar, Naman Dhir.
SQUADS
Gujarat Titans: Shubman Gill (c), Sai Sudharsan, Glenn Phillips, Kumar Kushagra, Anuj Rawat, Jos Buttler(wk), Rashid Khan, Rahul Tewatia, Shahrukh Khan, Nishant Sindhu, Ravisrinivasan Sai Kishore, Gerald Coetzee, Jayant Yadav, Arshad Khan, Karim Janat, Sherfane Rutherford, Mahipal Lomror, Washington Sundar, Manav Suthar, Gurnoor Brar, Ishant Sharma, Kagiso Rabada, Prasidh Krishna, Kulwant Khejroliya, Mohammed Siraj
Mumbai Indians: Hardik Pandya (c), Jasprit Bumrah, Rohit Sharma, Tilak Verma, Trent Boult, Naman Dhir, Robin Minz, Karn Sharma, Ryan Rickelton(wk), Deepak Chahar, Will Jacks, Ashwani Kumar, Mitchell Santner, Reece Topley, Shrijith Krishnan, Raj Angad Bawa, Venkat Satyanarayana Raju, Bevon Jacobs, Arjun Tendulkar, Vignesh Puthhur, Suryakumar Yadav.