IPL 2025 Eliminator: Gujarat Titans Brace for Mumbai Test Without Jos Buttler

GT look to overcome Buttler's absenGujarat Titans face a high-stakes battle against Mumbai Indians in Mullanpur as Buttler exits and Rashid struggles — all eyes now on Gill and Bumrah.ce, while MI bank on Bumrah and Bairstow to stay alive in the IPL 2025 playoffs

Arun Upadhayay 3 weeks agoLast Updated: June 7, 2025

6 4 minutes read

There’s no looking back now. With Jos Buttler gone, Gujarat Titans must reinvent their winning formula in real time as they gear up to face Mumbai Indians in the IPL 2025 Eliminator at Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, Mullanpur, on Friday. The stakes? Survival. The winner moves forward to face Punjab Kings in Qualifier 2; the loser heads home.

No Buttler, No Buffer for Gujarat Titans

For GT, the timing couldn’t have been worse. Buttler, a pillar of their top order and one of the most dangerous white-ball openers in the world, has left for England national duty, just as the playoffs begin. His replacement, Kusal Mendis, joins the team after opting out of the PSL, citing security concerns, and though talented, he carries zero IPL experience. He hasn’t played a competitive match in over a month.

The Titans, who finished third on the points table, relied heavily on their top three – Shubman Gill, B Sai Sudharsan, and Buttler – for their consistent success. Gill, who has racked up 649 runs this season, and Sudharsan, the tournament’s leading run-scorer with 679, often batted so deep that the middle order rarely had to take the spotlight. Now, without Buttler, the entire batting dynamic will be put to the test.

Sherfane Rutherford and M Shahrukh Khan have shown flashes of firepower in the lower-middle order, but the Eliminator is a different pressure cooker. It’s one thing to chip in with a cameo during a league game. It’s another to steady the ship when a playoff is on the line.

Bowling Troubles: Rashid’s Roughest IPL

Rashid Khan, once the ace in Gujarat’s bowling deck, has struggled to find rhythm. With only nine wickets at an average of 53.66, he is enduring his worst ever IPL campaign. His economy rate of 9.47 and a record 31 sixes conceded tell their own grim story. Not long ago, he was GT’s game-changer. Now, he’s a question mark.

Rashid himself admitted recently that his control has deserted him. In his words to Reuters, the Afghan spinner said, “It’s been hard to maintain the right line and length this season. I’m trying to find that control again.”

Compounding the bowling woes, Mohammed Siraj’s early-season brilliance has tapered off. GT conceded 199, 235, and 230 in their last three games — a dramatic slide for a team built around bowling discipline.

Mumbai Indians: Starry Squad, Shaky Consistency

Over in the MI camp, familiar issues linger. Despite being stacked with global names, the side has struggled to click as a unit. Suryakumar Yadav is their only batter in the top 10 run-getters list with 640 runs, and the next best, Ryan Rickelton, is not available for the playoffs. His absence leaves a 252-run hole in MI’s top order.

But they’re replacing him with a battle-hardened option: Jonny Bairstow. The Englishman recently struck twin fifties for Yorkshire in a County Championship match. While that was red-ball cricket, the confidence boost could matter. Will Jacks has also exited the team, but his departure doesn’t sting as much. The toss-up between Charith Asalanka and Bevon Jacobs will likely favour Asalanka due to his useful offspin.

Bowling, though, is where MI hold a clear edge. Jasprit Bumrah, despite missing the first four games, has roared back with 17 wickets at an economy of 6.33 – his best ever in an IPL season. Trent Boult, Deepak Chahar, and Mitchell Santner offer variation, control, and wicket-taking abilities. Against a GT team now missing its most explosive opener, MI’s pace battery might smell blood.

Mullanpur: The Pitch That Keeps Everyone Guessing

Friday’s match will be played on a fresh pitch at the Mullanpur stadium, which has produced a variety of outcomes this season. One game saw a team win after scoring just 111, another saw a side lose after making 201. In the Qualifier 1, Punjab Kings were bundled out for 101 on a surface that favoured both seamers and spinners. According to local forecasts, the weather is expected to remain cloudy but dry, which could mean early swing under lights.

Head-to-Head: GT Hold the Edge

GT have beaten MI not once, but twice this season. And that stat isn’t isolated – Mumbai Indians haven’t defeated any of the other three playoff teams in IPL 2025. Their mid-season surge, where they notched up six wins in a row, has been dulled by two defeats in their last three matches.

And yet, playoff pedigree matters. MI are five-time champions. They know how to win under pressure. Hardik Pandya, now leading MI against his former franchise, will be itching to prove a point – especially after being overshadowed by Gill and Co. earlier in the season.

Match-Ups to Watch

Gill vs Hardik: In IPL matchups, Hardik has dismissed Gill four times in 23 balls, conceding just 19 runs.
Mendis vs Santner: The Sri Lankan batter has struggled, dismissed four times in 39 balls by the Kiwi spinner.
Suryakumar vs Rashid: SKY has scored 117 runs in 77 balls off Rashid without being dismissed even once.
Tilak Varma vs Prasidh Krishna: Varma has faced seven balls, scored zero, and been dismissed twice.

Probable XIs

Gujarat Titans: Shubman Gill (c), B Sai Sudharsan, Kusal Mendis (wk), Sherfane Rutherford, M Shahrukh Khan, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Gerald Coetzee, Arshad Khan, R Sai Kishore, Mohammed Siraj

Mumbai Indians: Rohit Sharma, Jonny Bairstow (wk), Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav, Charith Asalanka/Bevon Jacobs, Hardik Pandya (c), Naman Dhir, Mitchell Santner, Deepak Chahar, Trent Boult, Jasprit Bumrah

What’s Next

Win and you face Punjab Kings. Lose and your IPL 2025 journey ends. For Gujarat Titans, the challenge is to show they’re not a one-man batting unit. For Mumbai Indians, the pressure is on to prove that star power still counts when the heat is highest. Expect a battle of nerve, nous, and no second chances.

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Author Profile

Arun Upadhayay

Sports Contributor at Hindustan Herald | Web

Arun Upadhayay is a sports journalist and former district-level cricketer with over four years of experience in event production and digital content. Currently freelancing with the India Today Group, Arun brings a deep understanding of sports and storytelling. His work blends expert analysis, live event insights, and engaging coverage of the game.