IPL 2026: Shubman Gill wins toss; GT opt to bowl first against MI

Hardik Pandya and Shubman Gill (Pic: BCCI)

Shubman Gill won the toss and elected to bowl first as the Gujarat Titans take on the Mumbai Indians at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

Mumbai Indians are currently at the bottom of the league table with just two points, while Gujarat Titans sit sixth with six points. MI will be aiming to snap a four-match losing streak in Indian Premier League 2026.

After winning the toss, Gill confirmed that Gujarat Titans would stick with the same playing XI.

"It looks like a decent wicket, honestly. There was a bit of dew in the last match, so if that happens again today, it makes more sense to bowl first. It's always good to have a target on the board and then try to chase it down.

I think the way we've been bowling up front has been a huge positive for us, even in the last match and the one before that. Hopefully, we continue with that rhythm. In the middle overs, Rashid Khan has been really good for us. We'll look to continue in the same manner. We're going with the same team," Shubman Gill said.

Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya admitted that he would have preferred to bowl first as well. He also confirmed debut appearances for Krish Bhagat and Danish Malewar as MI search for just their second win of the season.

"We would have fielded as well. It's obviously an important game for us as a group. We had to regroup and reflect on what Mumbai Indians stand for and the kind of cricket we want to play. We've had several discussions, and the players are looking forward to the game. I think we need to play better cricket overall. I can't pinpoint just one factor. As I've said earlier, we win together and lose together, so as a group, we need to improve. It's a fresh day and a new opportunity. We have a couple of debuts today. Danish Malewar makes his Mumbai Indians debut, and Krish Bhagat, who was part of the support bowlers, really impressed us. He joined the squad three days ago, and now he's playing today," Hardik Pandya said.

Confirmed Playing XI for both teams:

Gujarat Titans (Playing XI): Shubman Gill(c), Sai Sudharsan, Jos Buttler(w), Washington Sundar, Glenn Phillips, Shahrukh Khan, Rashid Khan, Mohammed Siraj, Kagiso Rabada, Prasidh Krishna, Ashok Sharma

Mumbai Indians (Playing XI): Danish Malewar, Quinton de Kock(w), Naman Dhir, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya(c), Tilak Varma, Sherfane Rutherford, Mitchell Santner, Krish Bhagat, Jasprit Bumrah, AM Ghazanfar