IPL 2024 GT vs MI Preview - The prodigal son returns

Key match stats

Pitch Stats – Narendra Modi Stadium IPL records

Pitch stats from the 10 most recent IPL matches played at the Narendra Modi Stadium

Team form GT vs MI

Recent meetings: IPL 2023 - GT won by 62 runs, MI won by 27 runs, GT won by 55 runs

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Preview GT vs MI

It's a very fast return for Hardik Pandya to the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad where he lifted the IPL 2022 trophy and came very close to making it back to back wins for the Gujarat Titans here last year.

2024 will see him returning to the Mumbai side that released him 3 years prior and leading them to what they hope will be a first title since 2020. You couldn't ask for a much better pedigree in this tournament than Hardik Pandya. He's appeared in 4 of the last 5 finals and been on the winning side in 3 of them, having also been part of successful squads in 2017 and 2015.

Mumbai were certainly an entertaining side to watch last year, particularly with bat in hand and chasing when it felt like no score was out of the reach of their powerful line-up. They did however miss some potency with the ball and so beyond the return of Hardik Pandya, the fitness of Jasprit Bumrah will be absolutely crucial to them going 1 further in IPL 2024.

It was of course against Gujarat Titans at this very venue that Mumbai finally found their limits in a run chase. New captain of GT, Shubman Gill, smeared the MI bowling attack all across the vast Narendra Modi Stadium for a brilliant knock of 129 and despite some fireworks from Sky and Tilak Varma, Mumbai ultimately fell well short.

This year it looks more likely to be the Titans who struggle as a result of losing key bowlers. Mohammed Shami is already out of the tournament through injury and GT will be monitoring the fitness of Rashid Khan in these earlier stages of the tournament. Their star spinner missed the SA20 and PSL as a result of back surgery but did return this month to bamboozle Ireland's batsmen in a 3 match T20 series that saw him take 8 wickets.

In the past 2 seasons, these sides have played each other 4 times with each game being won by the team batting first. In fact, GT have won 4 of their last 5 games at the Narendra Modi when batting first with the only exception being that thrilling rain interrupted final against CSK last May.

That success was built largely off the back of Shubman Gill's incredible season and a 5 man bowling attack capable of taking wickets throughout the innings. Whether GT can replicate that or indeed improve given the losses of personnel they've sustained remains to be seen. CSK are the only side to appear in 3 or more consecutive finals (they managed 4 in a row 2010-2013) and of course that was an 8 team tournament in its early stages.

GT v MI head to head

MI bowling vs GT batting

GT will need to reshape the batting line-up which has given them such success over their first 2 years in the IPL. Shubman Gill will certainly open but who joins him at the very top of the order remains to be seen. Saha was lucky to keep his place last year and GT have signed Robin Muniz as an alternative keeper batsman.

Shubman Gill T20 head to head vs Hardik Pandya

It would of course be the ultimate example of rubbing salt into the wound if Hardik Pandya were to return to the Narendra Modi Stadium and dismiss his opposite number Shubman Gill yet again. In fact, Hardik's record against his former teammates in general is excellent and he's dismissed David Miller 4 times and Kane Williamson 3 times in previous T20 encounters. How much Hardik is able to bowl this year could again be a key factor in the success of MI's season.

Shubman Gill T20 record at the Narendra Modi Stadium

On the flip side, Shubman Gill has an absolutely incredible record at this venue built not only off the back of his exploits in IPL 2023 but the season prior to that too as well as his appearances here for the national team.

Where MI struggled last year in particular was containing sides at the death. Their bowling economy during the final 5 overs of an innings was 11.8 the worst in the league. While part of that was due to the conditions at the Wankhede, it was also not helped by missing Jasprit Bumrah. This year they not only have Bumrah back but they also appear to have other bowling options to support him.

Bowler	Strike Rate	Economy
Bumrah	19.2	8.0
Thushara	14.5	9.9
Coetzee	11.0	9.0

MI bowlers T20 records bowling at the death (overs 16-20)

Of course they'll need to be on their game against a GT line-up that will likely have 3 or 4 finishers in it. That kind of depth helped the Titans to a death overs run rate of 11.7 last season, the 2nd best in the league.

GT bowling vs MI batting

Shami being unavailable for the season is a massive blow to the Titans particularly when you look at his record here at the Narendra Modi. He's taken 20 T20 wickets at this stadium but perhaps what's even more impressive is that 13 of those have come in the powerplay at a strike rate of 15.8.

Rohit T20 head to head vs Umesh Yadav

It could be that GT turn to the experienced Umesh Yadav who was brought in during the auction presumably as cover for Shami. He and Rohit should know each other pretty well! Only 7 batsmen currently playing in the IPL have faced 100 or more deliveries from a specific bowler(s). This is a head to head that stretches all the way back to 2010 when these 2 first met while playing for Deccan Chargers and Delhi Daredevils respectively.

Having Mohammed Shami consistently knock the top of any batting line-up in IPL 2023 set-up things up very nicely for GT's duel Afghan spinners to really squeeze teams during those middle overs.

Rashid Khan finished last season with 27 wickets at a strike rate of 14.9, his best return in an IPL to date. However, his economy rate was 8.2 by far the highest it's ever been in an IPL season (next highest 6.7 in 2018). This can partly be put down to teams needing to attack him with GT not really having a weak link in their bowling attack for the opposition to target and also in no small part due to the new super-sub rule which essentially provided teams with an extra batsmen allowing them to attack more in the middle overs.

Sky T20 head to head vs Rashid Khan

It'll be interesting to see how things play out in the new season and whether sides now feel more confident just knocking Rashid around and going after other members of this GT bowling attack.

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All stats used in this blog are from my own databases which are freely accessible below
IPL player head to head records
IPL player records by stadium
IPL stadium records.
Images are my own with the exception of player profiles and highlights within GIFs which are not intended to infringe copyright- read full disclaimer. Background images are used under a creative commons license or otherwise royalty free.