Chandigarh, May 30 (UNI) In a high-stakes Eliminator at Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, Mumbai Indians won the toss and elected to bat first against Gujarat Titans, with skipper Hardik Pandya declaring the fixture as their "tenth straight knockout" — a telling reflection of the pressure his side has endured in the latter half of the season.
Explaining the decision at the toss, Pandya noted a shift in pitch conditions compared to the previous day. “Looks like a different track to yesterday. Bit of less grass. Big game, scoring runs and defending would be nice,” he said. Emphasising the urgency, he added, “We all are aware, for the last 9 games we have been playing it like a knockout. Really need to turn up today and focus on the things which we can control.”
Mumbai made three changes to their line-up: Jonny Bairstow returned, England pacer Richard Gleeson made his IPL debut, and Raj Angad Bawa came into the XI.