The stage is set for a high-octane battle as Gujarat Titans (GT) face off against Mumbai Indians (MI) in their second match of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Saturday.
Both teams are heading into this contest after suffering defeats in their opening games and will be eager to secure their first points in the tournament. With the pressure mounting early in the tournament, both teams will be desperate to bounce back and avoid consecutive losses.
Mumbai Indians’ head coach provides update on Jasprit Bumrah
One of the major talking points surrounding Mumbai this season has been the absence of their ace pacer, Jasprit Bumrah. The Indian speedster is currently recovering from a lower back injury that he sustained during the Sydney Test against Australia. His injury ruled him out of the Champions Trophy earlier this year, and his return date for IPL 2025 remains uncertain.
Mumbai’s global head of performance, Mahela Jayawardene, recently provided an update on Bumrah’s fitness, stating that the pacer is making steady progress in his recovery at the BCCI’s National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru. However, he refrained from committing to a specific return date.
“Everyone is available except for Bumrah. As I said in my last interview, it’s a daily assessment for him as he goes through his rehabilitation program. So far, everything looks good, but the NCA has not provided a timeline for his return. We are keeping our fingers crossed and hoping he will be back soon,” Jayawardene said to media on the eve of MI’s match against Gujarat.
Bumrah’s absence has significantly weakened Mumbai’s bowling attack, which was evident in their match against CSK. The five-time champions lacked a genuine wicket-taking option in the death overs, allowing Chennai to chase down the target with relative ease.
Jasprit Bumrah is present in Ahmedabad
He might come to NMS to support Mumbai pic.twitter.com/Fpj0NBNylf
— Mumbai Indians FC (@MIPaltanFamily) March 28, 2025
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GT and MI kook to overcome early setbacks in the IPL 2025
Both teams will be eager to put their opening-game disappointments behind them. Gujarat, despite posting a strong total against Punjab, struggled to contain Shreyas Iyer and Shashank Singh, who played match-winning knocks. The bowling unit, which includes Rashid Khan, Mohammed Siraj and Kagiso Rabada, will need to step up against a powerful MI batting lineup featuring the likes of Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya and Suryakumar Yadav.
Mumbai, on the other hand, will need to improve their middle-order stability. While Tilak Varma and Hardik showed promise, the lower order crumbled under pressure against CSK. With Bumrah unavailable, MI will rely heavily on Deepak Chahar and Trent Boult to lead their pace attack, while spin responsibilities will fall on Vignesh Puthur.
As both teams prepare for a crucial showdown, the contest promises an exciting battle between GT’s bowling depth and MI’s explosive batting. With both franchises looking to register their first win of the season, fans can expect a thrilling encounter in Ahmedabad.
