Predicted Playing XI of Gujarat Titans against Mumbai Indians

image-lgv13aqfGujarat players celebrating the fall of wicket. (Twitter)

The fans will witness a thrilling battle as the current title holders, Gujarat Titans, collide with the team with the most IPL titles in the competition's history, Mumbai Indians, at the iconic Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

After competing in six games, Gujarat Titans have secured four wins and endured two defeats. In their most recent encounter, they emerged triumphant against the Lucknow Super Giants, instilling a sense of confidence in the squad and inspiring them to strive for further victories.

As they approach their match against Mumbai Indians, Gujarat Titans will undoubtedly endeavor to maintain their momentum and secure another crucial victory in their campaign.

To secure a victory against the formidable five-time champions, Gujarat Titans will need to field a well-rounded and robust playing XI in their upcoming match on Tuesday. In this article, we look at the possible playing eleven of the Gujarat Titans for the game against MI.

Openers:

Shubman Gill and Wriddhiman Saha

Shubman Gill experienced a rare setback when he was dismissed for a duck against LSG, which marked his second consecutive dismissal without scoring against the same team in three innings. Nevertheless, the 23-year-old remains the top scorer for his team, with an impressive 228 runs in six innings, averaging 38 and boasting a strike rate of 138.18. After his previous dismissal, Gill is determined to make a strong return to form and set a blazing start for his team's innings against MI. 

In his recent match against LSG, Saha came agonizingly close to scoring his maiden half-century of IPL 2023, falling only three runs short of the feat. Despite falling short, the wicket-keeper batsman played a pivotal role in his team's cause by contributing a valuable knock of 47 runs from 37 balls. After the early dismissal of Gill, Saha's partnership with Pandya proved vital in guiding their team towards a respectable total. Throughout the ongoing season, Saha has demonstrated his aggressive style of play, reflected by his impressive strike rate of 138.38. Saha will once again look to provide his side with an explosive start with the bat as he prepares to take on MI.

Middle-order:

Hardik Pandya

Pandya marked his comeback with a well-compiled half-century in the IPL 2023. The Gujarat Titans skipper scored an impressive 66 runs off 50 deliveries and contributed significantly to his team's total of 135/6 in the first innings. His return to form is a positive indication for the defending champions as they move into the next half of the tournament. He has found batting at number three to be favorable, and he is likely to maintain that batting position.

Vijay Shankar

Shankar replaced Sai Sudharsan in the last match, but the all-rounder couldn't contribute much with the bat, scoring just ten runs off 12 deliveries. However, he has shown remarkable consistency with the bat this season. Throughout the tournament, the 32-year-old has played at an impressive strike rate of 161.25, and he will be eager to replicate his explosive performance against MI.He played his best knock of the season against KKR, when he remained unbeaten on 63 runs off just 24 balls. Shankar should bat at number four.

David Miller

The previous match against LSG did not go well for GT’s finisher-David Miller, as he could only manage to score six runs off 12 deliveries. Despite this, the left-handed batter has been an outstanding performer for his side, having rescued them from tricky situations on numerous occasions since the previous season. Miller has scored 102 runs in five innings at an average of 51 in the ongoing tournament. He will be determined to bounce back after his disappointing outing and take on the MI bowlers at a familiar venue.

Abhinav Manohar

Although Manohar scored just three runs off five balls in his last match against LSG, the 28-year-old has shown great promise in the tournament by exhibiting a strike rate of 169.23. In the previous games, he played good cameos such as scoring 27 runs off 13 balls against RR in the fifth game and earlier 14 off 8 against KKR in the third fixture. He will be given another chance to prove his worth and Manohar will be keen to make the opportunity count by making a significant contribution with the bat against MI.

Rahul Tewatia

Tewatia has undoubtedly emerged as a master finisher, unfurling his artistry as a prolific lower-order batter in IPL 2023. The dynamic southpaw has already mesmerized the audience twice with his bat, first against CSK in the opening match and then versus Punjab Kings in the fourth game. His sheer brilliance in finishing the innings has been instrumental in GT's remarkable record in chasing. Eager to continue his spectacular form, Tewatia would leave no stone unturned in providing another scintillating finish against MI.

Bowlers:

Rashid Khan

Rashid Khan, GT’s spin wizard, has been a key contributor to his team's success so far this season, claiming 12 wickets in six matches so far, making him the second-highest wicket-taker in the tournament. In GT's opening game against CSK, he was named the 'Player of the Match' for his fantastic performance, taking 2/26 in four overs and scoring a quick ten runs off three balls. Later, he picked a hattrick as well against KKR. With the bat, he can contribute with some handy runs down the order.

Mohammed Shami

Mohammed Shami has been a force to be reckoned with in IPL 2023, thanks to his impressive ability to move the ball with pace. He has proved to be a nightmare for the opposition, especially with the new ball. With ten wickets to his name from six matches, he stands as the second-highest wicket-taker for GT. The leader of GT’s pace attack has displayed his remarkable skills with the new ball, exhibiting an impeccable control on swing that has left the opposition in disarray.

Mohit Sharma

Mohit Sharma has made a remarkable comeback in the IPL arena and has been a game-changer for the Titans. He proved his worth by clinching the 'Man of the Match' award in a nail-biting encounter against their opponents. His impeccable performance with the ball was the key in the Titans' 7-run victory. Incredibly, he has been the recipient of the 'Player of the Match' award twice in just three games, making him an indispensable member of the Titans squad.

Noor Ahmad

The young left-arm wrist spinner from Afghanistan played only his second IPL match against LSG. He proved to be the star performer for the Titans by taking two important wickets of Krunal Pandya and Deepak Hooda, finishing with impressive figures of 2/18. In his IPL debut against Rajasthan Royals, he took one wicket for 29 runs. Being a left-arm wrist spinner, Noor's unique bowling style makes it challenging for the batters to read him, which could pose a threat to MI in the upcoming match.

Probable Impact Players:

Sai Sudharsan

Joshua Little 

Jayant Yadav 

Srikar Bharat 

Shivam Mavi