IPL match preview: Gujarat Titans v Mumbai Indians

The Titans will go into this match placed in fourth position across the 10-team standings. They recently beat the Lucknow Super Giants and will be keen to build on the momentum gathered during that low-scoring affair.

Mumbai are currently in seventh position and will attempt to bounce back from recent defeat to the Punjab Kings. While Mumbai have a record five IPL titles, they finished in last position during the 2022 IPL and have struggled this season.

While Mumbai will continue to play without the injured Jasprit Bumrah, they should have England fast bowler Jofra Archer back for this fixture. His extra pace could play a big role in conducive Ahmedabad conditions.

It will be interesting to see how the Titans use all-rounder Jayant Yadav and batsman Shubman Gill. Both are huge assets for the defending champions, with Gill particularly solid at the top of the order when setting or chasing targets.

Gujarat and Mumbai's head-to-head history is brief. They met once in 2022, when Mumbai emerged victorious.

This match will present some intriguing battles within the war, including Rohit Sharma versus Hardik Pandya. This contest between the captains should be highly entertaining, especially if or when Pandya gets to bowl to Sharma.

Titans open Wriddhiman Saha will be challenged by Mumbai leg-spinner Piyush Chawla, who is among the leading wicket-takers in the history of the IPL. Saha isn't a big-hitter, but knows how to up the strike-rate against spinners promptly regardless.

The Gujarat Titans are looking primed for victory here. Mumbai were on a roll with successive victories before coming unstuck again against Punjab. A win here could really ignite Gujarat's pursuit of a successful title defence.