Mumbai Indians' Expensive Fielding Blunders in IPL 2025 Match Against Gujarat Titans

Mumbai Indians struggled against Gujarat Titans in the IPL 2025 match in Ahmedabad. Their bowlers struggled to contain the runs but were able to restrict Gujarat Titans to under 200. But their fielding blunders made things hard for them. One of the most disappointing incidents occurred when an overthrow resulted in five additional runs. Sai Sudharsan had hit a shot off Deepak Chahar, and Naman Dhir attempted a run-out at the non-striker's end. But his throw went wide of the stumps, and no fielder was backing it up. The ball went to the boundary, which added to the woes of Mumbai Indians.

Sunil Gavaskar, who was providing the commentary for Star Sports, was dissatisfied with the fielding of Mumbai Indians. He described it as "absolutely terrible" and noted that Deepak Chahar had to endure for the extra runs were added to his tally. The error reflected the poor performance of Mumbai during the match. In spite of their problems, they were able to recover with effective bowling towards the latter half of the innings.

Sai Sudharsan demonstrated his skill with a nicely crafted 63 runs off 41 balls. He played intelligently and put his shots in the right places. His score consisted of four boundaries and two sixes. It seemed Gujarat Titans would reach the 200-run mark, but Mumbai Indians reeled them back. Hardik Pandya played a crucial role, not only as a bowler but also in the field. He took two wickets for 29 runs and also run out Rahul Tewatia. His clever bowling prevented Gujarat Titans from getting a substantial total.

Trent Boult did his job by picking a crucial wicket in the 18th over. He bowled a quick yorker to get Sai Sudharsan out, and this caused Gujarat Titans to lose three wickets in only two overs. Sherfane Rutherford attempted to play big shots, but he also got out in the second-last over. Due to these wickets, Gujarat Titans were left at 196/8, and this provided Mumbai Indians with an opportunity to chase the target.

The Ahmedabad pitch had a balance of bounce, and 190 was a good score. Sai Sudharsan began well by striking two boundaries in one over off Trent Boult. He then played intelligently against Mujeeb Ur Rahman, striking a four and then cracking a six straight down the ground. While wickets continued to fall at the other end, he shifted his gear and played cautiously to maintain the run rate. He reached his fifty in only 33 balls, with a 84-meter six in the process.

Shubman Gill also played well, scoring 38 runs off 27 balls. He played mostly in front of the wicket and gave Gujarat a good start. He and Sudharsan added 78 runs for the first wicket. They made the most of the new ball before Mumbai Indians introduced spinners in the fifth over. Sudharsan was good against Mujeeb, while Gill played some good shots, including a six and a boundary on the leg side. Gujarat Titans reached 66/0 in the power play, laying a solid foundation for a huge total.

Hardik Pandya later turned the game around by bowling sensibly. He employed various variations to put pressure on the batsmen, and it resulted in Shubman Gill's wicket. Gill attempted a pull shot but got caught deep. Once his wicket fell, Mumbai Indians dominated the game for some time by halting the boundaries for 13 balls.

Jos Buttler was sent up the order to No. 3 and attempted to play aggressive shots against the bowlers. He struck a six and played some intelligent shots. His fast 39 off 24 balls, including four fours and a six, boosted Gujarat Titans. Mujeeb Ur Rahman dismissed him with an excellently bowled carrom ball, which edged Buttler's bat. Shah Rukh Khan also played a couple of big shots, a six against Pandya among them. But Hardik Pandya lost his wicket shortly thereafter, preparing him for a slower short ball. Tilak Varma collected a routine catch at deep extra cover to dismiss him back to the pavilion.

Mumbai Indians were poor with their fielding during the game. They committed errors, such as overthrows and missed run-outs. However, in spite of these mistakes, Hardik Pandya's captaincy ensured that Gujarat Titans' score was kept under control. The lack of Jasprit Bumrah was felt, but Pandya's astute strategies ensured Mumbai had a fighting chance in the run chase.