Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium sets the stage for IPL 2026’s 30th encounter, where Gujarat Titans triumphed in the toss against Mumbai Indians and chose to chase. GT remains unchanged, riding high on three back-to-back wins that have lifted them to sixth place after a shaky start.
Captain Shubman Gill was clear on his strategy: ‘Bowling first makes sense on this pitch. We love chasing targets. Rashid’s middle-over magic has been key, and Mumbai always brings the fight. Same XI for us.’ This decision puts immediate pressure on MI’s batsmen, who are desperate to end a four-match losing skid since their season-opening triumph.
MI handed debuts to Danish Malevar and Krish Bhagat, signaling a tactical refresh. Hardik Pandya, reflecting on team ethos, said, ‘Fielding first was our pick too. Time to unite, play smart cricket, and back each other. We must gel as a group and deliver on the field. Excited for Danish and Krish’s big day.’
The Titans’ squad: Shubman Gill (c), B Sai Sudharsan, Jos Buttler (wk), Glenn Phillips, Washington Sundar, Shahrukh Khan, Rashid Khan, Mohammed Siraj, Kagiso Rabada, Prasidh Krishna, Ashok Sharma. Mumbai fields: Danish Malevar, Quinton de Kock (wk), Naman Dhir, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya (c), Tilak Varma, Sherfene Rutherford, Mitchell Santner, Krish Bhagat, Jasprit Bumrah, AM Gajnaf.
With GT’s pace battery of Siraj, Rabada, and Prasidh ready to strike, and MI banking on Bumrah’s return, this could redefine both teams’ campaigns. GT eyes the top four; MI fights for survival. The battle for playoff spots intensifies.
