Picking a combined GT-MI playing 11 with impact sub ahead of IPL 2025 clash ft. Shubman Gill, Deepak Chahar
Gujarat Titans (GT) will take on Mumbai Indians (MI) in match number nine of IPL 2025 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Saturday, March 29. Both GT and MI began their IPL 2025 campaign on a disappointing note, losing their respective opening matches. Gujarat went down to Punjab Kings (PBKS) by 11 runs, while Mumbai lost to Chennai Super Kings (CSK) by four wickets.
GT bowled first against PBKS and conceded 243-5 in their 20 overs. Left-arm spinner R Sai Kishore impressed with 3-30, but most of the other bowlers struggled. Mohammed Siraj, Kagiso Rabada, Rashid Khan and Prasidh Krishna all went for plenty of runs. In the chase, Sai Sudharsan and Jos Buttler struck 50s, while Sherfane Rutherford smashed 46 off 28, but GT failed to get over the line.
MI batted first against CSK, but only managed to put up 155-9 on the board. Tilak Varma was the only batter to cross the 30-run mark. With the ball, debutant left-arm wrist spinner Vignesh Puthur impressed with 3-32. However, Mumbai did not have enough runs on the board to make a match of it.
Ahead of the GT vs MI IPL 2025 clash on Saturday in Ahmedabad, we put together a combined XI of the two teams.
Top-order: Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Sai Sudharsan
Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill would be the openers in the combined GT-MI playing XI. Rohit was dismissed for a duck against CSK, but he has an impressive record in the IPL. He has amassed 6,628 runs in 258 matches at an average of 29.58 and an economy rate of 131.03, with two tons and 43 half-centuries.
Gill looked in impressive form during his brisk 33 against PBKS, which came off only 14 balls and featured two fours and three sixes. He has an excellent record at the Narendra Modi Stadium, where he has notched up 986 runs in 19 IPL matches at an average of 61.62 and a strike rate of 161.11. His brilliant stats at the venue include three hundreds and four half-centuries.
GT's Sai Sudharsan would also be part of the top-order in the combined playing XI. The left-handed batter has an excellent record in the IPL. In 26 matches, he has scored 1,108 runs at an average of 48.17 and a strike rate of 141.32, with the aid of one hundred and seven half-centuries. Sudharsan began IPL 2025 with a good knock of 74 against PBKS, which came off only 41 balls.
Middle-order: Suryakumar Yadav, Jos Buttler (wk), Hardik Pandya (c), Rahul Tewatia
Star MI batter Suryakumar Yadav has been going through a rough patch in recent times. In the clash against CSK, he scored 29 and was just beginning to find some form when he was brilliantly stumped by MS Dhoni off Noor Ahmad's bowling. Suryakumar, however, has exceptional numbers in the IPL and hence it would be very tough to leave him out of the combined playing XI.
Buttler made an impressive debut for GT against PBKS, striking four fours and two sixes in his brisk half-century. The former England captain has been one of the biggest success stories in the IPL. The destructive right-handed batter has seven hundreds to his name in the T20 league, next only to Virat Kohli.
MI skipper Hardik Pandya would lead the combined Gujarat-Mumbai IPL 2025 XI. The all-rounder missed the opening match due to an overrate ban. He has been in impressive form of late with both bat and ball and played a key role in Team India's 2025 Champions Trophy triumph.
Along with Pandya, GT's Rahul Tewatia could play the role of finisher in the combined XI. The left-handed batter has played several game-changing cameos in the IPL over the last few seasons. He is also a handy leg spinner, who can chip in with a few wickets if needed.
Bowlers: Deepak Chahar, Trent Boult, Rashid Khan, Mohammed Siraj
Deepak Chahar, Trent Boult and Siraj would be the frontline pace bowlers in the combined GT-MI playing XI, while Rashid would be the main spinner. Both Chahar and Boult can make the ball talk early on and are highly experienced campaigners. Siraj had a forgettable debut for Gujarat against Punjab, but the team would back him to come up with a good show against MI.
Rashid is one of the finest bowlers not only in the IPL, but in T20 cricket as a whole. The 26-year-old leggie from Afghanistan has exactly 150 wickets to his name in the IPL from 122 matches, averaging 22 at an economy rate of 6.86.
Impact Sub options: Shahrukh Khan, Tilak Varma, R Sai Kishore, Vignesh Puthur
Shahrukh Khan and Tilak Varma could be the impact sub options in the combined GT-MI team when it comes to batting. Both have the ability to clear the field. Sai Kishore and Puthur would be the bowling impact sub options. Sai Kishore has proved himself in the limited opportunities he has got in the IPL, while Puthur made a fantastic debut for MI against CSK.