AHMEDABAD: With just one win from five matches, Mumbai Indians find themselves in must-win territory when they take on Gujarat Titans at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Monday. Rooted at the bottom of the table, MI cannot afford another slip, especially against opponents they have never beaten at this place.The challenge is formidable. The Gujarat titans have turned Ahmedabad into a fortress, while Mumbai’s own campaign has been marred by inconsistency – most notably with the ball. The new-ball pair of Deepak Chahar and Trent Boult struggled for breakthrough, often conceding runs without a breakthrough. Even Jasprit Bumrah looked out of his usual rhythm, leaving MI without the control they are used to.Shardul Thakur leads the wicket charts for MI with six scalps, but his economy rate of 13.57 underlines the trade-off. Spin offered control without the threat. Mitchell Santner, who missed the previous match against Punjab Kings due to illness, was economical while Afghanistan off-spinner Allah Ghazanfar picked up wickets but ran out of runs. Batting was similarly uneven. Quinton de Kock’s brilliant century against PBKS – after replacing the injured Rohit Sharma – was a big positive, yet MI still lacked momentum at the death. The inability of the middle and lower order to finish the innings collectively has been a recurring theme that needs to be addressed.Gujarat Titans, meanwhile, boast one of the strongest bowling attacks in the league. Mohammad Siraj and Kagiso Rabada form a powerful new ball pair supported by Prasidh Krishna and Ashok Sharma who thrive on pace and hard lengths. Rashid Khan’s leg spin continues the pressure through the middle overs.Titans captain Shubman Gill, despite winning the last game against Kolkata Knight Riders, admitted he would have liked to finish the chase earlier – revealing some concerns around a middle order that relied heavily on Gill, B Sai Sudharsan and Jose Buttler.Added to this is intrigue with Hardik Pandya returning to the stadium where he led GT to their first IPL title in 2022. The buzz surrounding his move back to MI has died down, but his form with the bat remains an issue. A return to rhythm would go a long way in helping MI in their bid to revive their campaign. On a ground where history is stacked against them, the urgency arrived early.
