Can the Gujarat Titans Rise From the Ashes in 2025?
The Gujarat Titans were once the toast of the IPL, winning the title in their debut season (2022) and finishing runners-up in 2023. Fast forward to 2024, and the fairy tale had turned into a nightmare. Finishing a lowly 8th with a mere five wins in 14 matches, the franchise is now at a critical crossroads . The 2025 season in Abu Dhabi isn’t just another tournament; it’s a litmus test for their entire structure, built around the twin pillars of Shubman Gill and Jos Buttler. But what went so spectacularly wrong, and can they fix it?
Table of Contents
- The Gill & Buttler Paradox: Brilliance Masking a Flawed System
- The Captaincy Crusade: Shubman Gill’s Heavy Burden
- The Middle-Order Mess: Where the GT Innings Collapsed
- The Bowling Blues: From World-Class to Questionable
- The Roadmap to Recovery for the Gujarat Titans
The Gill & Buttler Paradox: Brilliance Masking a Flawed System
On the surface, the Gujarat Titans batting looked fearsome. Captain Shubman Gill continued his rich vein of form, while the acquisition of Jos Buttler, the 2022 Orange Cap winner, was seen as a masterstroke . Buttler delivered flashes of his old self, notching up a brilliant 107* against KKR . Yet, this top-order brilliance was a double-edged sword.
The team became dangerously over-reliant on these two. When either failed, the entire batting card seemed to crumble like a house of cards . This lack of depth and a dependable middle-order meant that their strong starts rarely translated into match-winning totals. It was a classic case of a team built on two superstar shoulders, with little support beneath them.
The Captaincy Crusade: Shubman Gill’s Heavy Burden
Stepping into the shoes of a champion like Hardik Pandya is no easy task. For Shubman Gill, his first full-time captaincy stint in a major franchise league was a baptism by fire. His personal form was commendable, but his on-field decisions and the team’s overall performance told a different story. Under his leadership in 2024, GT managed only five wins from 14 matches, a win percentage of just 35.71% .
The absence of a seasoned all-rounder like Pandya, who could provide stability with both bat and ball, was a massive void Gill struggled to fill . The pressure of leading a faltering side while also being its primary run-scorer was immense, and it showed in the team’s disjointed performances throughout the season.
The Middle-Order Mess: Where the GT Innings Collapsed
While Gill and Buttler handled the top, the middle order was a revolving door of uncertainty. The likes of David Miller and Shahrukh Khan provided moments of magic but lacked consistency . The team missed a reliable, anchor-type batter in the No. 4 or 5 slot who could take the game deep—a role Hardik Pandya had perfected in their first two seasons .
Analysts like Aakash Chopra pointed out that GT were sorely missing Pandya’s middle-order heft, which had been a cornerstone of their past success . Without that stability, the pressure on the top order was amplified, and the death-overs batting often looked clueless. The team ended up using a staggering 27 players, the most in the league, which only highlighted their lack of a settled, dependable core .
The Bowling Blues: From World-Class to Questionable
Pre-season, the Gujarat Titans bowling was touted as one of the strongest in the tournament, led by the spin wizardry of Rashid Khan and the pace of Mohammed Shami [[45]. However, reality bit hard. Shami was ruled out for the entire season due to injury, instantly depleting their pace attack .
Even Rashid Khan, while economical, didn’t produce his usual wicket-taking menace, leading some to describe the attack as “undercooked” . The death bowling, once a strength with Mohit Sharma, became a major liability as the likes of Spencer Johnson and others leaked runs . The bowling unit, which had been their identity, lost its sharpness and failed to defend totals or restrict oppositions consistently.
The Roadmap to Recovery for the Gujarat Titans
The path to redemption in 2025 is clear but challenging for the Gujarat Titans. They must address three critical gaps:
- Build a Resilient Middle Order: They need to acquire or promote a dependable, experienced No. 4 batter who can handle pressure and rotate strike effectively.
- Strengthen the Pace Attack: With Shami’s future uncertain, they must find a genuine strike bowler who can lead the pace battery and deliver in the death overs.
- Lighten Gill’s Load: The franchise must find a senior, experienced all-rounder who can provide balance, contribute crucial runs, and take some of the tactical and emotional burden off their young captain.
Conclusion: A Franchise at a Crossroads
The 2024 season was a humbling experience for the Gujarat Titans. It exposed the fragility of a team overly reliant on its star players. The 2025 auction in Abu Dhabi is their chance to course-correct. The talent of Gill and Buttler is undeniable, but they need a far more robust and balanced support system around them. The rebuild starts now, and the entire cricketing world will be watching to see if the Titans can reclaim their former glory.
Sources
- Times of India: Gill, Buttler, and the gaps around them; puzzles GT must solve in Abu Dhabi
- ESPNcricinfo: IPL 2024 Points Table
- Cricbuzz: Gujarat Titans Squad Analysis