Gujarat Titans v Mumbai Indians IPL Tips: Crisis crew MI overrated again

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Monday 20 April,15:00
TV: Sky Sports

Gujarat Titans v Mumbai Indians IPL team news

Gujarat Titans have won three from three, beating KKR, LSG and Delhi. Probably only the Delhi win could be classed as impressive in terms of opposition ability although, of course, they should have been beaten but for David Miller's bizarre brain fade.

It may be that those results give a false impression. Narrow losses to Punjab and Royals suggest they are neither outstanding or dreadful.

They will have to make do with no Tom Banton for the rest of the season due to injury. South African Connor Esterhuizen is his replacement. He may have to wait a long time for a game. Kagiso Rabada staved off the axe with a strong performance against KKR

Possible XI: Sai, Gill, Buttler, Phillips, Sundar, Tweatia, Shahrukh (sub Siraj), Rashid, Rabada, Ashok, Prasidh

Mumbai Indians should be in full-blown crisis mode. A win for KKR against Royals on Sunday would see them go bottom of the pile. They have lost four in a row and their net run rate is the second-worst in the league.

Big players are not performing, notably Jasprit Bumrah who remains wicketless. They were outclassed by Punjab and despite Quinton de Kock's ton, the 195 they posted was never likely to be enough.

There are now signs of confusion among selection with Tilak Varma at No 7 last time. Suryakumar Yadav was subbed out for Afghan spinner Allah Ghazanfar. If Rohit Sharma is fit he will likely replace Ryan Rickleton, which means Trent Boult could return.

Possible XI: Rickleton, De Kock, Tilak, Sky (sub Ghazanfar), Hardik, Naman, Rutherford, Rawat, Thakur, Chahar, Bumrah

Gujarat Titans v Mumbai Indians IPL pitch report

The run rate in the 36 IPL night matches at Ahmedabad is 8.92. That jumps to 9.5 in the last three years. The 20-over par line should be set at around the 205 mark for overs plays. That mark has won only nine times, however. The KKR batting, reliably unreliable, couldn't even bust 190. 

Fortunately, Sportsbook offer first-innings runs at over 195.5 at 5/61.84. That has won in 12 matches from the 20-game study sample. We don't have major concerns about either team's batting. 

Gujarat Titans v Mumbai Indians IPL match prediction

Gujarat Titans are outsiders at 2.1211/10 with Mumbai Indians [1.85. This is another example of Mumbai being made favourites purely because of the big names in their squad. 

On form and the league table, it is Gujarat who should be favourites. So we are happy to take on MI here. At the very least Gujarat and MI should be paired as a choice affair.

We also note the 10/34.33 that Gujarat win and both teams score 190 as per the stats above. The hosts are 5/23.50 to win with the most fours and sixes which would all normally be classed as related. 

Gujarat Titans v Mumbai Indians IPL player bets

Sai Sudharsan remains in the win zone for top Gujarat bat and one of the most consistent run-getters in IPL history is worth a follow at 5/23.50. We know we have win-rate on our side and the pre-tournament plan was to switch back and forth with him and Shubman Gill. That hasn't quite worked out but we have to keep faith for Sai to deliver. 

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