Just over a month ago, the Mumbai Indians (MI) suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of the Gujarat Titans (GT) at the Narendra Modi Stadium. Fast forward to today, and the picture has changed drastically. MI are no longer the struggling side from March-end; they are now arguably the most in-form team in IPL 2025, with six consecutive wins propelling them into the Top 3 of the points table.
This turnaround has been driven by a collective resurgence: Rohit Sharma is providing solid starts, Suryakumar Yadav is scoring fluently, and Jasprit Bumrah continues to be unplayable in the death overs. Add the likes of Trent Boult, Deepak Chahar, Tilak Varma and Will Jacks, and you have a team firing in all departments. The question now, as they welcome GT to the Wankhede on Tuesday (May 6), is whether they tweak their XI or retain the winning combination.
MI vs GT: Hardik Pandya to include Santner?
Mitchell Santner, sidelined due to a finger injury for the past few matches, is now available for selection. Head coach Mahela Jayawardene confirmed his fitness in the lead-up to the game. The New Zealander brings control with the ball and also adds depth with the bat, but does he walk straight back into a team that has been dominant even without him?
Corbin Bosch, who replaced Santner against LSG, made an instant impact. He chipped in with a quick 20 off 10 and bowled a smart spell at the death, finishing with an economy of just 6.5. His ability to hit the deck hard and deliver under pressure could be vital at the Wankhede, where bounce and pace play a crucial role.
Santner, on the other hand, could provide control against the GT right-handers and might be useful if the pitch offers a bit of grip. However, with Karn Sharma performing his role as a specialist spinner, and Jacks offering a part-time spin option, the need for a another spinner may not be immediate.
Mumbai Indians’ Predicted Playing XI vs Gujarat Titans
| S. No. | Player |
|---|---|
| 1 | Rohit Sharma |
| 2 | Ryan Rickelton (wk) |
| 3 | Will Jacks |
| 4 | Suryakumar Yadav |
| 5 | Tilak Varma |
| 6 | Hardik Pandya (c) |
| 7 | Naman Dhir |
| 8 | Corbin Bosch / Mitchell Santner |
| 9 | Karn Sharma |
| 10 | Deepak Chahar |
| 11 | Trent Boult |
| 12 | Jasprit Bumrah |
Mumbai Indians IPL 2025 Squad
Ryan Rickelton(w), Rohit Sharma, Will Jacks, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya(c), Naman Dhir, Corbin Bosch, Trent Boult, Deepak Chahar, Karn Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Raj Bawa, Satyanarayana Raju, Robin Minz, Reece Topley, Vignesh Puthur, Mitchell Santner, Ashwani Kumar, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Arjun Tendulkar, Bevon Jacobs, Krishnan Shrijith
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