An intriguing reunion is underway for Sunday’s IPL 2024 match when the Gujarat Titans take on Mumbai Indians at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Hardik Pandya is ready to lead the Mumbai Indians for the first time against his previous team, the Gujarat Titans, who will be led by recently appointed captain Shubman Gill. Let’s look at the main player battles before the highly anticipated GT vs MI matchup.
Rohit Sharma vs Spencer Johnson
Former Mumbai Indians captain Rohit Sharma will face a significant test when he steps onto the field on Sunday. The decision by the team management to replace Rohit Sharma as skipper has sparked widespread criticism.
Despite no longer holding the captaincy, Rohit Sharma carries the responsibility of leading his team to a strong start. However, he may face a challenge from Australia’s left-arm speedster Spencer Johnson, who is expected to debut in the IPL against MI. Johnson’s presence in the powerplay overs could pose a threat to Rohit Sharma’s batting performance.
Statistics from ESPNcricinfo reveal that since 2019, Rohit Sharma has been dismissed by left-arm pacers seven times in 29 IPL encounters, with a strike rate of 97.54. This suggests that Rohit may need to be cautious against Johnson’s bowling prowess to avoid early setbacks in the match.
Shubman Gill vs Jasprit Bumrah
One of the most anticipated player matchups in the Gujarat Titans vs Mumbai Indians game on Sunday is between Shubman Gill and Jasprit Bumrah. Gill had a stellar IPL 2023 and as the new GT captain, he aims to continue his impressive performances.
However, he faces the challenge of handling Jasprit Bumrah‘s formidable bowling right from the start. Bumrah, who missed IPL 2023, is eager to make a strong comeback. The 30-year-old Indian pace bowler has been in exceptional form across all formats, making this battle one to watch during the upcoming match.
Gill managed to score 25 runs in 7 innings. During his batting, he hit 3 boundaries but was unable to clear the ropes for a six. Gill faced 9 dot balls but rotated the strike effectively with 9 singles and 2 doubles. Despite his efforts, Bumrah managed to dismiss him once, with Gill averaging 25.00 against the bowler. With a strike rate of 108.69, Gill faced a total of 23 balls, while his overall strike rate in these encounters was 6.52.
Hardik Pandya vs Rashid Khan
Mumbai Indians skipper Hardik Pandya will face off against his former teammate Rashid Khan in a significant battle of skills. The Afghan star possesses a wide array of variations that can trouble even the best batters in the world. However, Hardik Pandya aims to assert his dominance over Rashid Khan and put him under pressure during the match.
In the head-to-head battle between Hardik Pandya as the batter and Rashid Khan as the bowler, Pandya managed to score 27 runs in 6 innings. Throughout his batting, Pandya faced 22 dot balls and hit 11 singles and 2 doubles. He also smashed 2 sixes but didn’t find the boundary rope otherwise. With a strike rate of 72.97, Pandya faced a total of 37 balls, resulting in an overall strike rate of 4.37 in these encounters. Additionally, Rashid Khan managed to dismiss Pandya twice, with an average of 13.50 against the bowler.
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