IPL 2025: Why is Vignesh Puthur not playing in GT vs MI Match 9?

Mumbai Indians (MI) won the toss and opted to bowl first against Gujarat Titans (GT) in the Match No. 9 of the IPL 2025. The ongoing game is being played at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad and also saw Hardik Pandya return as skipper after Suryakumar Yadav had led during the opener against Chennai Super Kings. Moreover, ann incoming Pandya also meant that Mumbai made a change to their squad.

Vignesh Puthur missing from Playing XI

At the toss, the MI captain revealed that he does not remember the changes they made in the squad with him coming back, but the official team sheet says that Vignesh Puthur, the star from the CSK encounter, had to miss out. Puthur's three-wicket haul made him the hero, but unfortunately, the player is missing from the Impact Player options as well. As a result, it is assumed that captain Hardik has replaced the Kerala-born in the starting XI.

Gujarat, on the other hand, did not make any changes to their side from the previous game. Skipper Shubman Gill said that the side was willing to bowl first as well, but they don't mind batting first since they have a really good top order including himself and Sai Sudharsan as openers to give the left-right combination, with veteran Jos Buttler coming in at No. 3.

What did the captains say?

Shubman Gill, GT captain

Batted first plenty of times here, so nothing changes for us. It is all about assessing the conditions and seeing what target we can set, and if we are chasing it is about how to get to that target. Plenty of positives from the last game, we just got slow in the middle and that post us, but still we managed to score about 200 runs in 14 overs. We have got the same team, might see one change with the impact sub. (On opening with Sai Sudharsan) We want to have a lefty - righty combination, and Jos has been playing at 3 for England, so nothing changes for him.

Hardik Pandya, MI captain

We'll bowl first. The simple reason is we don't know how the pitch will play, plus the dew factor. Only last year we played on black soil, otherwise we have been playing on red soil. Last year, we had the game under wraps but couldn't finish it. The prep has been fantastic, the boys are excited and we back each other, be there for each other. Very happy stage. I come back, and the others we are keeping the options open. Always about playing good cricket, planning right and enjoying the game.

GT vs MI Playing 11s

Gujarat Titans: Shubman Gill(c), Sai Sudharsan, Jos Buttler (w), Sherfane Rutherford, Shahrukh Khan, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Ravisrinivasan Sai Kishore, Kagiso Rabada, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna

Impact Subs: Mahipal Lomror, Glenn Phillips, Ishant Sharma, Anuj Rawat, Washington Sundar

Mumbai Indians: Rohit Sharma, Ryan Rickelton(w), Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya(c), Tilak Varma, Naman Dhir, Mitchell Santner, Deepak Chahar, Trent Boult, Mujeeb-Ur-Rahman, Satyanarayana Raju

Mumbai Indians Impact Subs: Robin Minz, Ashwani Kumar, Raj Bawa, Corbin Bosch, Will Jacks