Hardik Pandya Returns to Ahmedabad as Gujarat Titans and Mumbai Indians Seek First IPL 2025 Win

Ahmedabad, March 29, 2025 – The grand stage of the Narendra Modi Stadium is set for a dramatic showdown as Gujarat Titans (GT) lock horns with Mumbai Indians (MI) in a highly anticipated IPL 2025 encounter. All eyes will be on Hardik Pandya, who makes his season debut—and a much-talked-about return to the ground where he once led GT to IPL glory.

Pandya, now captaining MI, missed the season opener due to an over-rate suspension. His return adds balance and experience to a side that faltered against Chennai Super Kings (CSK). But Ahmedabad hasn't been kind to him since his controversial move. Booed by home fans in 2024, Pandya will now look to lead by example and silence the critics.

On the other side, GT face their own challenges. Rashid Khan’s recent form has raised concerns. After conceding 48 runs in their opener against Punjab Kings, the Afghan star—once their bowling spearhead—needs to bounce back swiftly.

Both teams are winless so far, making this match crucial in the early standings.

Key Players to Watch:

• Shubman Gill: Looking to make a statement as captain with aggressive powerplay batting.

• Suryakumar Yadav: Searching for consistency after a string of low scores across formats.

Pitch & Conditions: A flat pitch and evening dew are expected—favorable for chasing. Six of the eight IPL 2024 games in Ahmedabad were won by the chasing team.

Stat Spotlight:

• Rohit Sharma has now recorded 18 IPL ducks, joint-second most in the tournament.

• Rashid Khan's economy has exceeded 8 in the last two seasons, a worrying trend for GT.

Probable XIs:

• GT: Shubman Gill (C), Sai Sudharsan, Jos Buttler, Sherfane Rutherford, Shahrukh Khan, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Arshad Khan, R Sai Kishore, Kagiso Rabada, Mohammed Siraj.

• MI: Rohit Sharma, Ryan Rickelton, Will Jacks, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya (C), Naman Dhir, Mitchell Santner, Deepak Chahar, Trent Boult, Vignesh Puthur.