The IPL 2025 Eliminator will witness a thrilling match between Gujarat Titans and Mumbai Indians, where the winner will move on to Qualifier 2 to face Punjab Kings, who lost Qualifier 1 against RCB. Both franchises have experienced huge changes lately Mumbai Indians separated from influential players Ryan Rickelton, Will Jacks, and Corbin Bosch, whereas Gujarat Titans were forced to release veterans Jos Buttler and Kagiso Rabada. In spite of that, both franchises have brought in strong replacements to cover the gap.
Mumbai Indians have signed Jonny Bairstow, Charith Asalanka, and Richard Gleeson, with Bairstow likely to open with Rohit Sharma. The addition of Bairstow raises hopes, given also the solidity of contribution brought in by Rickelton this season. For their part, Gujarat Titans have brought in Sri Lanka’s Kusal Mendis to fill the vital No. 3 position left by Buttler a tricky spot to fill considering Buttler’s current great form.
GT Vs MI: Pitch Report
The Mullanpur’s New Chandigarh ground has been a challenging surface for batters at the initial stage of the playoffs. The surface provides good pace and bounce, enabling bowlers to achieve initial movement and shot selection becoming the key at the early overs. In the past, the initial 10 overs have been the period when the match used to be decided, with bowlers gaining an advantage.
Bowling first teams have discovered a plus here because the pitch slows down a bit in the second half of the innings. Sides chasing have tended to find it difficult to keep up the pace of scoring needed after 15 overs. Any score over 180 runs will prove to be under pressure for the chasing side, and hence it is an attractive target at this ground.
GT Vs MI: Toss Strategy
As the nature of the pitch favors, teams will want to bowl first after a toss win. Initial movement for bowlers supplemented by the challenges facing batting in pressure situations when chasing will be the preferred option when setting a target. Setting up the first 10 overs and taking early wickets will be key to holding the opposition back and setting up a defendable total. In general, winning the toss and fielding first should be the preferred strategy for both teams in this high-pressure game.
