New Delhi, March 29: Former Australia opener Shane Watson feels that MS Dhoni should have batted ahead of Ravichandran Ashwin in Chennai Super Kings’ 197 chase against Royal Challengers Bengaluru at Chepauk on Friday

Despite Dhoni’s late 16-ball 30 not out cameo CSK suffered a heavy 50-run defeat – their second straight loss in the season after losing to Mumbai Indians in their season opener.

Dhoni came to bat at No.9 after Ashwin even when Chennai were reeling at 80/6 after 13 overs. The situation was not ideal for Dhoni to inflict a turnaround but he smashed three fours and two sixes in his short stay at the crease.

However, the move to send Dhoni in the fag end of the innings was not welcomed by many including former players, commentators and fans.

“This is exactly what CSK fans come to see – 30 off 16 deliveries from Dhoni. I would have absolutely loved to see him come up the order. In my opinion, he should have batted ahead of Ashwin. Given the game situation, Dhoni could have played like this for another 15 balls. Over the last couple of years, he has consistently shown that he’s still batting beautifully. I truly believe he should be promoted up the order so we can see the full extent of his skills,” Watson said on JioHotstar.

“From a wicket-keeping perspective, he’s still as sharp as ever—whipping the bails off in an instant. That tells me his game is in great shape, and he’s as well-prepared as he possibly can be. If CSK had sent him in earlier, they would have had a better chance of crossing the line. Of course, the crowd absolutely loved what he did tonight, but if he had come in sooner, CSK might have had a stronger shot at victory.”

Watson was also fazed by CSK’s decision to send Rahul Tripathi to open the batting with Rachin Ravindra while also questioning the batting order of Sam Curran.

“It was disappointing to see certain decisions, like Rahul Tripathi opening the batting. Ruturaj Gaikwad is a quality opener, yet he had to come in later. Even one of the shots Ruturaj played – where he gave himself room against Hazlewood – was uncharacteristic. Normally, he stands still and reacts, but this showed he was under pressure. Deepak Hooda, at the moment, just isn’t up to it; he played each ball as if he was trying to survive. Batting Sam Curran at No. 5 was also questionable—I see him as more of a No. 7 batter,” he said.

“Right now, CSK hasn’t got their combinations right, and they need to make a few adjustments. If they persist with this batting line-up, they risk being exposed,” Watson added.

For RCB, it was their first win against CSK at Chepauk since the inaugural edition of the IPL. Skipper Rajat Patidar’s half-century and cameo knocks from Phil Salt (32), Virat Kohli (31) and Devdutt Padikkal (27) helped them to post 196/7 in 20 overs which their bowlers successfully defended.

With the win, RCB climbed to the top of the standings with two consecutive victories and will next take on Gujarat Titans on April 2.

Ahmedabad, March 29: Former champions Gujarat Titans (GT) will face off against Mumbai Indians (MI) in the Indian Premier League (IPL 2025) match 9 at the iconic Narendra Modi Stadium on Saturday.

Both teams started their IPL 2025 campaign with a defeat and will be determined to bounce back in this crucial encounter.

Shubman Gill’s side fell short against Punjab Kings in their last outing, despite valiant knocks from Sai Sudharsan (74 off 41) and Jos Buttler (54 off 33) while chasing 244. Their bowlers, including Rashid Khan and Kagiso Rabada, struggled to contain PBKS’ onslaught led by Shreyas Iyer (97 off 42).

Meanwhile, MI had a tough start, managing just 155/9 against Chennai Super Kings. Though their bowlers fought hard, CSK secured victory with five balls to spare. However, MI will be bolstered by the return of skipper Hardik Pandya, who will face his former team for the first time since leading them to the 2022 title.

Gujarat Titans and Mumbai Indians have faced each other five times in the IPL, with Gujarat holding a slight advantage, having won three matches compared to Mumbai’s two victories. Their rivalry began on May 6, 2022, and has since produced thrilling encounters. The most recent clash took place on March 24, 2024, where Gujarat emerged victorious.

When will the GT vs MI match take place?

The match will take place on Saturday. The match will begin at 7:30 PM IST, with the toss scheduled for 7 PM IST.

Where will the GT vs MI match take place?

The match will be played at Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad.

Where will the live broadcast for GT vs MI match be available?

The match will be broadcast live on the Star Sports network.

Where will live streaming for GT vs MI match be available?

The match will be streamed live on the JioHotstar app.

Squads:

Gujarat Titans squad: Shubman Gill (c), Sai Sudharsan, Glenn Phillips, Kumar Kushagra, Anuj Rawat, Jos Buttler, Rashid Khan, Rahul Tewatia, Shahrukh Khan, Nishant Sindhu, Ravisrinivasan Sai Kishore, Gerald Coetzee, Jayant Yadav, Arshad Khan, Karim Janat, Sherfane Rutherford, Mahipal Lomror, Washington Sundar, Manav Suthar, Gurnoor Brar, Ishant Sharma, Kagiso Rabada, Prasidh Krishna, Kulwant Khejroliya, Mohammed Siraj

Mumbai Indians squad: Suryakumar Yadav, Rohit Sharma, Tilak Varma, Bevon Jacobs, Ryan Rickelton, Robin Minz, Krishnan Shrijith, Hardik Pandya, Naman Dhir, Raj Bawa, Vignesh Puthur, Will Jacks, Mitchell Santner, Jasprit Bumrah, Arjun Tendulkar, Ashwani Kumar, Reece Topley, Lizaad Williams, Karn Sharma, Trent Boult, Deepak Chahar, Satyanarayana Raju, Mujeeb Ur Rahman

Ahmedabad, March 28: Mumbai Indians (MI) will be eager to make amends for their disappointing start to the IPL 2025 season as they prepare to take on Gujarat Titans (GT) at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Saturday. With both teams yet to open their account after suffering defeats in their respective opening matches, this encounter promises to be a high-stakes battle.

One of the biggest boosts for MI ahead of this clash is the return of their captain, Hardik Pandya, who missed their season opener against Chennai Super Kings due to a suspension for an over-rate offence in IPL 2024. The five-time champions struggled in his absence, failing to put up a competitive total against CSK and eventually losing by four wickets. Now, with Pandya back in the mix, MI will be hoping for an improved performance both with the bat and the ball.

Mumbai’s batting lineup lacked the necessary firepower in their opener at Chepauk, managing only 155/9. The likes of Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav will need to step up and find form, especially with the conditions in Ahmedabad expected to be more batting-friendly. Pandya’s return not only strengthens the middle order but also provides an additional bowling option, particularly during the powerplay and death overs.

However, MI will still be without their pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, who remains on the sidelines recovering from his back injury. His absence leaves a significant void in the bowling attack, adding pressure on the likes of Trent Boult and Deepak Chahar.

On the other hand, Gujarat Titans, led by Shubman Gill, have their own concerns to address. Despite a spirited chase against Punjab Kings in their opener, where they fell just 11 runs short while chasing a massive 244, their bowling unit struggled considerably. The home side will be banking on Kagiso Rabada, Mohammed Siraj and Rashid Khan to deliver against MI’s formidable batting order, but the lack of support from experienced bowlers will be a headache for coach Ashish Nehra.

The Titans will also need to make a call on their overseas combination. The absence of variety in their Indian pace attack – Siraj, Prasidh Krishna and Ishant Sharma, all of whom rely on a similar hit-the-deck approach – makes it imperative for Rabada to deliver with the new ball.

The Ahmedabad pitch is expected to be a belter for batters, as evidenced by the high-scoring thriller between Gujarat and Punjab where 475 runs were scored in 40 overs. With the short boundaries and true bounce, another run-fest could be on the cards, putting additional responsibility on the bowlers to execute their plans effectively.

Squads:

Mumbai Indians: Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Robin Minz, Ryan Rickleton, Shrijith Krishnan, Bevon Jacobs, Tilak varma, Hardik Pandya, Naman Dhir, Will Jacks, Mitchell Santner, Raj Angad Bawa, Vignesh Puthur, Corbin Bosch, Trent Boult, Karn Sharma, Deepak Chahar, Ashwani Kumar, Reece Topley, Satyanarayana Penmetsa, Arjun Tendulkar, Mubeeb-ur-Rahman, Jasprit Bumrah.

Gujarat Titans: Shubman Gill, Jos Buttler, Kumar Kushagra, Anuj Rawat, Sherfane Rutherford, Glenn Phillips, Nishant Sindhu, Mahipal Lomror, Washington Sundar, Mohd. Arshad Khan, Sai Kishore, Jayant Yadav, Karim Janat, Sai Sudharsan, Shahrukh Khan, Kagiso Rabada, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Manav Suthar, Gerald Coetzee, Gurnoor Singh Brar, Ishant Sharma, Kulwant Khejroliya, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan.