In a surprising turn of events, Gujarat Titans have made a major change to their Playing XI for the IPL 2023 match against Mumbai Indians. The Titans have decided to drop their in-form pacer Alzarri Joseph for the game, making way for Afghan spinner Noor Ahmad.
Mumbai Indians skipper Rohit Sharma won the toss and elected to field first. However, when the team sheets arrived, it was revealed that Joseph’s name was missing from the Gujarat Titans’ Playing XI, as well as impact substitutes. This comes as a surprise as Joseph has been in great form, picking up 7 wickets in 5 games for the Titans so far.
Replaced by Noor Ahmad
Noor Ahmad, a slow left-arm chinaman bowler, has been given the opportunity to play in place of Joseph. Ahmad made his IPL debut a couple of games ago and has already taken 3 wickets in the tournament. The Titans have opted for Ahmad as they believe the Ahmedabad pitch will offer help to spinners, and he will complement the team’s primary leg spinner, Rashid Khan.
The decision to drop Joseph could prove to be a gamble for the Titans, as the Mumbai Indians have a strong batting lineup. However, the Titans’ spin attack, led by Rashid Khan and Noor Ahmad, could prove to be a handful for the Mumbai batters.
Return of Joshua Little
It is worth noting that Joseph had also missed the Titans’ previous game against Lucknow Super Giants. Joshua Little, the Irish left-arm fast bowler, has been added as an impact player and is expected to feature in the second innings as the Titans are batting first. Little had missed the last game but Hardik Pandya confirmed at the time of the toss that he will feature in the Playing XI in the second innings.
This game promises to be an exciting encounter between two strong teams, with the Titans looking to continue their winning momentum, while the Mumbai Indians will be hoping to bounce back after a defeat in their previous game.
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