3 things MI need to do right to beat GT in IPL 2025 Eliminator ft. Jasprit Bumrah

The do-or-die stage of the IPL 2025 playoff starts with the Gujarat Titans (GT) taking on Mumbai Indians (MI) in the Eliminator at Mullanpur on Friday, May 30. Both teams lost their final league stage game with an opportunity to clinch a top-two seed, relegating them to the third and fourth positions in the standings.

The winner of this contest will take on the Punjab Kings (PBKS) in Qualifier 2, while the loser will endure an off-season of disappointment. Mumbai and Gujarat played each other twice in the league stage, with the latter winning on both occasions.

Incidentally, GT have dominated MI in their head-to-heads, winning five out of seven matches. They also won their lone playoff meeting in Qualifier 2 in 2023.

Yet, even as all the historical trends favor GT, MI enter the clash with a great opportunity to avenge their past defeats. Shubman Gill's seemingly unshakable side has lost its last two matches, with the absence of star wicketkeeper batter Jos Buttler compounding matters.

On that note, let us look at three key things MI must do to upstage GT in this win-or-go-home IPL 2025 Eliminator.

# 1 Bowl Jasprit Bumrah straightaway to GT's in-form openers

The discussions around GT throughout the IPL 2025 season have been about their incredible opening combination of Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan. The duo have plundered runs for fun as an opening pair and in isolation in most of their 14 league stage outings.

Yet, the other side of the coin has reared its ugly head occasionally when the pair has faltered. GT's middle order after Buttler at No.3 hasn't been exposed to high-level bowling or extreme pressure often enough to know what it takes to deliver the goods.

A massive reason behind GT losing their last two games has been simply down to Gill and Sudharsan not producing one of their customary opening stands. With Buttler now out for the playoffs, MI's primary goal must be to break the Gill-Sudarsan partnership as early as possible.

It makes skipper Hardik Pandya's decision straightforward - open the bowling with ace pacer Jasprit Bumrah. MI have tended to use Bumrah as late as possible in the powerplay in the overs opposition batters are likely to go hammer and tongs.

However, given the importance of dislodging the Titans' openers, each of whom has over 600 runs this season, MI must open with Bumrah. The veteran pacer knocked over even a well-set Gill in the latest meeting between the sides in Mumbai.

Should a repeat of that occur right away, the 2022 champions will be massively on the back foot to a possible point of no return. Bumrah has been in red-hot form this season with 17 wickets in 10 matches at an average of 14.64 and an economy of 6.33.

# 2 Batting order changes to complement Suryakumar Yadav

As intimidating as MI's batting lineup looks on paper, the on-field performances have flattered to deceive this season. The ever-reliable Suryakumar Yadav has carried their batting even beyond the Gill, Sudharsan, and Buttler trio has for GT.

Surya has scored 640 runs despite batting at No.3 and 4 at an average of over 71, including 25+ scores in all 14 innings. Yet, a staggering statistic reveals that none of the other MI batters have even 400 runs this season.

Their second-highest scorer, Ryan Rickelton, at 388 runs, will play no further part in the competition, leaving the batting even lighter. Another key contributor, Will Jacks, has left for national duties and will not play in the playoffs.

It leaves MI desperately short on in-form batters apart from Surya, amplifying the importance of Rohit Sharma and Tilak Varma to step up. The former has crossed a half-century only three times in 13 innings, while the latter has tapered off significantly after a solid start to the season.

Tilak has been hampered by batting at No.5 and 6, and Jacks' departure should see him back at his favorite No.3 position, where he scored a truckload of runs for India over the past few months.

# 3 Keep Mohammed Siraj at bay

Mohammed Siraj has cooled off after a sensational start to IPL 2025 [Credit: Getty]

The narrative on GT's wins and losses has centered around their top three in the batting department and the reemergence of speedster Prasidh Krishna. However, veteran pacer Mohammed Siraj's performances have more directly impacted GT's results in IPL 2025.

The 31-year-old has picked up 15 wickets in 14 matches at an average of 32.66 and an economy of 9.24. However, Siraj's numbers in the side's wins and losses should clarify what MI's strategy should be against him.

Siraj has picked up all 15 of his wickets in nine GT wins at an average of 18.53 and an economy of 7.94. He has gone wicketless in only one out of these nine victories.

Conversely, Siraj has not picked up a wicket yet in the five losses, and his economy is nearly 12 in those outings. It simplifies MI's batting plans - 'Deny Siraj early wickets and feast on the rest'.