"It seems like Shubman Gill doesn't like bowling Sai Kishore" - Aakash Chopra on GT vs MI IPL 2025 clash

Former India player Aakash Chopra has urged the Mumbai Indians (MI) to post bigger totals, whenever possible, in IPL 2025. However, he opined that the MI batters might not find it easy against the Gujarat Titans (GT) bowling attack, especially their seamers, since Shubman Gill doesn't seem too keen to use Sai Kishore with the ball.

MI will host GT in Match 56 of IPL 2025 in Mumbai on Tuesday, May 6. Both sides have garnered 14 points apiece thus far, and the winner of Tuesday's game will climb atop the points table.

Previewing the MI-GT IPL 2025 clash in a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra', the former India opener reckoned that the Gujarat Titans' potent bowling attack could stop the Mumbai Indians' formidable batting lineup. However, he noted that Gill hasn't been confident enough to use Kishore, with Rashid Khan not being at his best either.

"When I am greedy, I feel you (Mumbai) should score 250 when possible. I felt that in the last match as well, although they won the match by 100 runs. I would say score 245/6 instead of 217/2. Hit a little more if the batting has so much firepower, although they might not get that much chance in this match as the opposing bowling will be slightly better," Chopra said (11:45).

"They will have (Mohammed) Siraj, Prasidh (Krishna) and (Kagiso) Rabada. After that, Rashid Khan, who is fifty-fifty, but he is there. Then you will have the option of Sai Kishore. If someone can stop Mumbai's batting juggernaut, this is that bowling attack, especially fast bowling. Spin has dipped a little. It seems like Shubman Gill doesn't like bowling Sai Kishore and Rashid Khan hasn't been in very good form," he added.

Sai Kishore has picked up 12 wickets at an economy rate of 8.35 in 10 innings in IPL 2025. However, the left-arm spinner has rarely been given his full quota of four overs, bowling 25.3 overs in those 10 innings.

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"Gujarat might be challenged for the first time this season" - Aakash Chopra on MI's bowling attack ahead of IPL 2025 clash vs GT

Jasprit Bumrah is expected to lead MI's bowling attack in their IPL 2025 clash against GT. [P/C: Getty]

In the same video, Aakash Chopra opined that the Mumbai Indians bowling attack could also challenge the Gujarat Titans batting lineup.

"When I look at Gujarat, if someone can stop their top three, it's this bowling attack. It has Trent Boult, Deepak Chahar, Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah, and Corbin Bosch might also play. If these five together stop the top three, Gujarat might be challenged for the first time this season," he said (12:45).

While expecting an enticing battle between GT's top order and MI's bowlers, the cricketer-turned-commentator picked the hosts as the slight favorites heading into Tuesday's game.

"Until now, one of the top three has scored a fifty for sure. This has happened in every single game this season, but maybe this will be a different game altogether. So I am extremely eager to watch that. The scales are slightly tilted towards Mumbai because they are playing at home, but Gujarat are a very good team," Chopra observed.

Sai Sudharsan (504), Jos Buttler (470) and Shubman Gill (465) are the Gujarat Titans' top three run-getters in IPL 2025. Sherfane Rutherford (201) is the only other GT player to score more than 100 runs this season.