Depleted Titans and MI face off in Eliminator

Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya will hope the players will raise their game in the IPL Eliminator.
| Photo Credit: R.V. MOORTHY

After more than two months of a long-drawn-out league phase, the future course of Gujarat Titans and Mumbai Indians in the IPL’s 18th edition hinges on how they fare over 40 overs in Friday’s Eliminator at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh Stadium.

While Qualifier 1, by virtue of finishing in the top-two, offers the cushion of faltering once and rising again in the bid to make the final, there are no second chances for teams pitted against each other in the Eliminator. These knockout fixtures invariably carry an added edge, for all the hard yards put in reaching that far can be rendered irrelevant in the blink of an eye.

Both teams have navigated their way through these high-pressure situations in the past. In Titans’ brief existence, they have already made two finals, tasting glory in 2022 and finishing runners-up the following year. MI, meanwhile, is the most successful franchise in IPL history — its five titles are the joint-highest alongside Chennai Super Kings.

But possibly throwing a spanner in the works is the fact that both camps have lost a few high-profile overseas players owing to international commitments. Shubman Gill’s Titans will have to make do without Jos Buttler and Kagiso Rabada. Buttler’s departure will be all the more challenging to plug, given how influential he had been at No. 3 right through. It exerts added pressure on Sai Sudharsan and Gill, who have contributed 679 and 649 runs respectively, to keep up the good work as an opening pair.

For the Hardik Pandya-led MI, the exits of wicketkeeper-batter Ryan Rickelton and all-rounder Will Jacks are far from ideal. Rickelton complemented Rohit Sharma nicely at the top of the order while Jacks lent balance to the side with his hard-hitting ability and handy off-breaks.

The absence of these players robs the contest of some sheen. But there are enough match-winners on both sides capable of seizing the day nevertheless.