GT vs MI, IPL 2023 Qualifier 2: Rohit vs Hardik as in-form MI take on wounded GT in quest for final

Gujarat Titans will look to make use of the extra opportunity to reach the IPL 2023 final after having slipped against Chennai Super Kings in Qualifier 1.

Returning to their home ground, the Hardik Pandya-led side will eye entry to a second successive final but it will not be easy for the defending champions who take on Mumbai Indians on Friday, May 26 in Ahmedabad.

Gujarat Titans have a point to prove as they are looking to keep their title defense alive after having earned the reputation of one of the most impressive sides ever since their inception and the run to the title last year.

Hardik Pandya has earned the reputation of a calm and collective captain in such a short span with quite a few likening him to MS Dhoni. However, he will face a stiff test of his leadership against Mumbai Indians, who are in rampant form in IPL 2023.

Recent history doesn’t favor MI as only teams in the Eliminator went on to make the final once twice since SRH won the title in 2016 but Rohit and his team have defied odds throughout the season.

Gujarat Titans topped the IPL 2023 points table with 10 wins in the group stages but the defending champions were derailed by MS Dhoni’s Chennai Super Kings. One of the best chasing sides in the competition, GT were undone by the Super Kings spinners in Chennai in Qualifier 1. Dhoni.

Shubman Gill, who has been in sensational form, has been solid at the top along with Vijay Shankar, who has been used as an Impact Player. However, the middle-order, which includes Hardik Pandya, David Miller, and Rahul Tewatia has failed to fire in the recent past. Shubman’s brilliance with the bat in his back-to-back hundreds toward the end of the group stages masked Gujarat’s batting vulnerability but it was exposed by CSK in Qualifier 1.

However, GT still have a terrific bowling line-up that will be involved in a much-anticipated battle against Mumbai Indians’ all-powerful batting unit. Mumbai have relied on their batting firepower to bail out an inexperienced bowling attack, more often than not in IPL 2023. All eyes will be on Mohammed Shami and Rashid Khan who are having an internal battle for the top wicket-takers’ spot in the season. Shami has 26 wickets while Rashid has one fewer. The return of Joshua Little is also a big boost to the side as it adds left-arm pace variety to the bowlig.

While the likes of Camero Green, Nehal Wadhera, Tilak Varma and Suryakumar Yadav have been sensational with the bat for the Mumbai Indians, their bowling unit is peaking at the right time.

Akash Madhwal returned a dream spell of 3.5-0-5-5 against LSG to put his side into the virtual semifinal after a three-wicket burst that set up victory in their crucial last league game against Sunrisers Hyderabad to emerge as MI’s pace ace.

Veterans Piyush Chawla (21 wickets in 15 matches) and Jason Behrendorff (14 wickets in 11 matches) have also been impressive, while an otherwise expensive Chris Jordan also enjoyed a fine outing of 2-1-7-1 in the Eliminator.

KEY PLAYERS
Akash Madhwal: Mumbai Indians have firepower in their batting unit but they will hope Akash Madhwal continue his fine run in IPL 2023. The 29-year-old has taken 13 wickets in 7 matches this season, which includes a 3-wicket haul against the Titans in their win earlier in the season.

Akash, who has begun delivering with the new-ball, will be key to rattle the Gujarat top-order.

Shubman Gill: Gujarat Titans will hope Gill gets another big score to set them up nicely in the Qualifier 2. There is pressure on Gill, who has scored 722 runs (8 fewer than Orange Cap holder Faf du Plessis) due to the misfiring middle-order but it’s an opportunity for the India opener to step up in a big game.

PITCH AND CONDITIONS
The Ahmedabad pitch has offered pace and bounce to batters to work with so far in IPL 2023. It’s been one of the high-scoring venues with totals in excess of 170-180 consistently. There will be some movement for the pacers with the new ball but the batters will love the pitch. Dew is not expected to play a big part in the Qualifier 2 on Friday.

GT vs MI, Quaifier 2 SQUADS
Gujarat Titans: Hardik Pandya (c), Shubman Gill, David Miller, Abhinav Manohar, Sai Sudharsan, Wriddhiman Saha, Matthew Wade, Rashid Khan, Rahul Tewatia, Vijay Shankar, Mohammed Shami, Alzarri Joseph, Yash Dayal, Pradeep Sangwan, Darshan Nalkande, Jayant Yadav, R. Sai Kishore, Noor Ahmad, Dasun Shanaka, Odean Smith, KS Bharat, Shivam Mavi, Urvil Patel, Joshua Little and Mohit Sharma.

Mumbai Indians: Rohit Sharma (c), Chris Jordan, Arshad Khan, Jason Behrendorff, Dewald Brevis, Piyush Chawla, Tim David, Raghav Goyal, Cameron Green, Ishan Kishan (wk), Duan Jansen, Chris Jordan, Kumar Kartikeya, Akash Madhwal, Riley Meredith, Shams Mulani, Ramandeep Singh, Sandeep Warrier, Hrithik Shokeen, Tristan Stubbs, Arjun Tendulkar, Tilak Varma, Vishnu Vinod, Nehal Wadhera, Suryakumar Yadav.