MI vs GT IPL 2025: Who will come out on top in the battle of the heavyweights?

A five-time champion with the joint-most titles in the league's history, "heavyweight" is just the fitting term to describe such a team. But the use of this adjective at the start of IPL 2025 in reference to Mumbai Indians might have irked some. The former champions could manage just a single victory in the first five fixtures of the season. However, a hard-fought victory against Delhi Capitals set the champions off. The team, led by Hardik Pandya, has picked up six straight wins in the season since then. There's a challenger awaited to curb the winning streak of MI. Who better than Gujarat Titans for the job? With 14 points in 10 matches and in a form that sits on par with the high-flying run of Mumbai, Titans would test the high-flying home team in the MI vs GT IPL 2025 match.

Mumbai Indians and Gujarat Titans in IPL 2025 so far

It's a rematch between the five-time champions and the IPL 2022 champions as Wankhede hosts the MI vs GT IPL 2025 match. The first time that Gujarat and Mumbai met in the ongoing season, the Titans, led by Shubman Gill registered an easy win over the visitors at the Narendra Modi Stadium. However, it's in the past. At the business end of the season, it's not the same MI that started IPL 2025 with a defeat against arch-rivals in the IPL El Clasico, the CSK vs MI match at Chepauk. 

This time, Gujarat Titans will face a team riding the momentum of six consecutive wins, bolstered by the redeemed form of Rohit Sharma. What's more? Arguably with the most lethal lineup this season, MI is the ideal team to challenge the GT top-order, which has remained unbeaten so far. The pace trio of Jasprit Bumrah, Deepak Chahar, and Trent Boult have demonstrated their threat to opponents lately. Hardik Pandya chips in with vital contributions as the MI lineup allows little to no window for the opposition to score.

In the batting department, the top-order has finally come through with the former skipper Rohit Sharma gaining his form back just at the right time. The top-order fires before Suryakumar Yadav plays the situation seamlessly, according to whether the inning needs anchoring or blazing hits to caltapult the total above the 200-run mark. While not at the start, it's now safe to say that MI as a unit is in a collective purple patch. An all-round attack like such is rarely predicted to be hit by the 'law of averages', if that's what Gujarat Titans are hoping to bank on in the MI vs GT match.

Mumbai’s momentum is unmistakable, and more importantly, they’ve built a fortress at home. They’ve won four of their five home games this season, and their current trajectory is a warning to the rest of the league. However, Gujarat Titans are coming off a win themselves. The top-order, with Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill, and Jos Buttler has proved impenetrable. Staying for most of the innings and utilising the loose deliveries to banish them beyond teh boundaries, GT is charged by skills and not luck. Not a fan of mindless slogging, the Sudharsan-Gill pair is even more effective with their calculated approach.

Around this core, Washington Sundar and Sherfane Rutherford have provided key contributions, albeit inconsistently. On the bowling front, Prasidh Krishna leads a capable unit that has consistently complemented the batting. Mohammed Siraj has also emerged as the key contributor with Sai Kishore seamlessly handling the spin responsibilities amid the dry slump of Rashid Khan.

Can the Titans challenge the home team in the MI vs GT IPL 2025 match?

Despite all the strengths, if there's one team capable of undoing GT, it's MI at the moment. GT would be found in a slump if the top-order departs without much of an impact. Trent Boult and Deepak Chahar in the powerplay are the best prospects to test the theory at Wankhede. The top 3 of GT have scored 75% runs for the team across the season. Don't let the openers settle their feet and MI would found them in a comfortable place.

Despite having lost the first leg, Mumbai Indians will likely enter this clash as favourites. Both teams are in the Top 4 and playing well, but MI’s sheer momentum and home advantage tilt the scales. A win for either team will significantly boost their playoff chances, and more importantly, could inch them closer to a Top 2 finish for the IPL 2025 playoffs. Both MI and GT have won four out of five home games this season. In their overall head-to-head, Gujarat lead with four wins to Mumbai’s two.