Picking a combined GT-MI playing 11 for IPL 2024 ft. Shubman Gill and Hardik Pandya
Gujarat Titans (GT) will face the challenge of Mumbai Indians (MI) in Match 5 of the Indian Premier League (2024) on Sunday (March 24) at Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad.
The two teams have shared two wins each in their previous four encounters. Ahead of the IPL 2024 auction, Hardik Pandya was traded to MI and made the captain. As a result, the GT management named Shubman Gill as their leader for the 2024 season.
It will be interesting to see which of the two teams can start their IPL 2024 campaign with a victory. On that note, let's check out the best combined GT-MI Playing XI for this season.
Top-order: Rohit Sharma, Ishan Kishan (wk), Shubman Gill
The opening pair for this team will be Rohit Sharma and Ishan Kishan, who have been performing the same role for MI for the last few years. Interestingly, Rohit has compiled the most runs (1,361) with Kishan as his partner in 40 innings at an average of 34.03.
Although Rohit and Shubman Gill compiled over 1,500 runs in 21 ODIs together for India in 2023, they are yet to have a longer stint as openers in T20Is.
Middle-order: Suryakumar Yadav/Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya (c), David Miller, Tim David
At No. 4 in this line-up will be Suryakumar Yadav, who is the No. 1 batter in T20Is. In IPL 2023, 'SKY' slammed 605 runs at an average of 43.21. However, he has yet to receive clearance from National Cricket Academy (NCA) after undergoing sports hernia surgery, and is doubtful for the first few games.
In Surya's absence, the young southpaw, Tilak Varma will mark his presence in the side. Varma scored over 300 runs at an average of around 43 in IPL 2023.
Hardik Pandya and David Miller will be No. 5 and No. 6, respectively, due to their experience and rich form in T20Is. In nine innings over the past two years, both amassed over 500 runs at an astounding average of 53.71 for the Titans. Also, Pandya will captain the side, as he led the Titans to successive final appearances (title in 2022).
Tim David is undoubtedly the best choice for No. 7, due to his proven ball-striking abilities in this format. He has amassed over 4,000 runs in T20Is, with a strike rate of 162.72.
Bowlers: Rashid Khan, Sai Kishore, Umesh Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah
Afghanistan spinner Rashid Khan will certainly go down as one of the finest players to feature in the cash-rich league. In 109 games, he has scalped 139 wickets at an efficient economy of 6.67. Moreover, his batting skills have been useful for the Titans in the last two years.
Left-arm spinner Sai Kishore will partner Rashid in this line-up. Kishore emerged as the leading wicket-taker in the Ranji Trophy 2023-24 with 53 scalps. In 57 T20Is, he has 63 wickets to his name.
This team will have the presence of two veteran pacers in the form of Jasprit Bumrah and Umesh Yadav, who have over 130 wickets in the IPL. Although Yadav has been missing international action, he picked up 15 wickets in six games of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2023.