In Ahmedabad, Gujarat Titans' captain Shubman Gill won the toss and chose to bowl first against Lucknow Super Giants at the Narendra Modi Stadium during the 18th season of the Indian Premier League on Thursday.

Although the playoff race has concluded, this match is crucial for Gujarat, who currently leads the standings. The outcomes of the remaining seven matches will determine the final positions of RCB, PBKS, MI, and GT in the top four. A win against Lucknow would significantly enhance their chances of securing a top-two finish, providing them with two opportunities in the playoffs.

After the toss, Gill confirmed that the Titans would maintain their playing XI, stating, “We’ll bowl first; it looks like a good wicket. Having a target will be beneficial. We aim to build momentum heading into the qualifiers, and these next two games are vital. Our teamwork is excellent, and we don’t discuss who will target which bowlers. No changes.”

On the other hand, Lucknow's captain Rishabh Pant expressed that they would have preferred to bowl first as well, saying, “We would have bowled first; it looks like a good wicket. There’s a challenge when you’re already out of contention, but we take pride in our game. As a team, we’re experimenting with different strategies to give ourselves the best chance of winning and preparing for next season. Akash Deep is in, along with a few other changes.”

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

Lucknow Super Giants (Playing XI): Mitchell Marsh, Aiden Markram, Nicholas Pooran, Rishabh Pant(w/c), Ayush Badoni, Abdul Samad, Himmat Singh, Shahbaz Ahmed, Akash Deep, Avesh Khan, William O’Rourke.