Ahmedabad, Mar 29 (UNI) Mumbai Indians won the toss and elected to field against Gujarat Titans in the ninth match of IPL 2025 at the Narendra Modi Stadium here on Saturday, setting the stage for Hardik Pandya’s much-anticipated return to the league.
Pandya, who is playing his first IPL match of the season, cited the uncertainty of the pitch conditions and the potential impact of dew as key factors in his decision. “The simple reason is we don’t know how the pitch will play, plus the dew factor,” said Pandya at the toss.
“Only last year we played on black soil, otherwise, we have been playing on red soil. Last year, we had the game under wraps but couldn’t finish it. The preparation has been fantastic, the boys are excited, and we back each other. Very happy stage.”
Shubman Gill, leading Gujarat Titans for the second consecutive year, remained unfazed by batting first. “Batted first plenty of times here, so nothing changes for us. It is all about assessing the conditions and seeing what target we can set,” he said, hinting at a flexible approach with the impact player rule. “We want to have a lefty-righty combination, and Jos [Buttler] has been playing at 3 for England, so nothing changes for him.”
The world’s biggest cricket stadium, known for its ability to transform into a fortress or a cauldron of pressure, is set to witness an electrifying contest.
Gujarat are coming off a bruising home defeat, where Punjab Kings piled up 243 runs on a placid deck. Despite a spirited chase, they fell short by 11 runs. Mumbai, meanwhile, are looking to shake off their opening-day blues. Traditionally slow out of the blocks, MI has the firepower to turn things around quickly.
The stage is set, the players are ready, and Ahmedabad is buzzing. Expect fireworks under the lights as two powerhouses collide.
Teams:
Gujarat Titans (Playing XI): Shubman Gill (c), Sai Sudharsan, Jos Buttler (w), Sherfane Rutherford, Shahrukh Khan, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Ravisrinivasan Sai Kishore, Kagiso Rabada, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna
Mumbai Indians (Playing XI): Rohit Sharma, Ryan Rickelton (w), Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya (c), Tilak Varma, Naman Dhir, Mitchell Santner, Deepak Chahar, Trent Boult, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Satyanarayana Raju.
