GT search for winning formula again with time running out for SRH
SRH are almost in must-win territory, whereas another loss for GT could make things tricky for them
S Sudarshanan
01-May-2025 • 23 hrs ago
Big picture: GT eye a step closer to playoffs
Twelve points with six wins in nine matches shouldn't generally be a concern, right? Gujarat Titans (GT) are comfortably placed to secure a playoffs spot in IPL 2025. However, two defeats in four games after a four-match winning streak doesn't make for a pretty reading. And that is why a home game against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) comes at a crucial time for them.
The easier equation for GT is that a win will take them to 14 points - only Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) sit there before the Rajasthan Royals (RR) vs Mumbai Indians (MI) fixture - with four matches left. SRH's batting this season hasn't been like the feared version of last year. The chasm between the teams is wide and so, GT will be counting on themselves to win this contest in Ahmedabad. A defeat could make things tricky for them.
Given the close competition this season, even 16 points could be touch-and-go for playoffs qualification. For SRH to get to 16, they need to win all five of their remaining matches. That is a tall ask given how their season has been so far. But Friday could be a start of a memorable run, if that were to happen.
Form guide
Gujarat Titans LWWLW (last five completed matches, most recent first)
Sunrisers Hyderabad WLLWL
Sunrisers Hyderabad WLLWL
In the spotlight: Contrasting opening partnerships
A lot of SRH's success in IPL 2024 was built on the opening pair of Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head. In the 13 times they opened together last season, they scored 599 at a run rate of over 13 and averaged 49.91. However, in IPL 2025, they have tallied 316 as a pair - 171 of that came in one innings - and average 35.11. Their scoring rate has dipped to 10.89 per over.
On Friday, SRH will come up against a team, whose openers have been prolific. Shubman Gill and B Sai Sudharsan have scored 541 runs at an average of over 60. But their scoring rate of 8.94 per over is the second-slowest in IPL 2025. There may be concerns if a safer approach has seen GT score not as much as they could have. But six wins in nine games points to a method that has worked for GT.
Team news and probable XIIs
Gill, who did not field in GT's last outing because of back spasms, is fit now. But there is no news yet about Kagiso Rabada's return, even though it is about now he should have been available, going by Gill's toss interview on April 19. If Sherfane Ruthorford is fit, he could be back in place of Karim Janat.
Gujarat Titans (probable): 1 B Sai Sudharsan, 2 Shubman Gill (capt), 3 Jos Buttler (wk), 4 Washington Sundar, 5 M Shahrukh Khan, 6 Rahul Tewatia, 7 Karin Janat/Sherfane Rutherford, 8 Rashid Khan, 9 R Sai Kishore, 10 Prasidh Krishna, 11 Mohammed Siraj, 12 Ishant Sharma/Arshad Khan
Expect SRH to retain their combination from the win against Chennai Super Kings.
Sunrisers Hyderabad (probable): 1 Abhishek Sharma, 2 Travis Head, 3 Ishan Kishan, 4 Heinrich Klaasen (wk), 5 Aniket Verma, 6 Kamindu Mendis/Wiaan Mulder, 7 Nitish Kumar Reddy, 8 Pat Cummins (capt), 9 Harshal Patel, 10 Jaydev Unadkat, 11 Mohammed Shami, 12 Zeeshan Ansari
The big question
Pitch and conditions
Five of the eight innings in Ahmedabad this season have seen 200-plus totals. Generally anything above 200 is a safe score at the venue, where defending totals is not an arduous task - teams batting first have won five of 12 games since the start of IPL 2024. And GT's chase of 204 in the last game was the first instance of a successful chase of that magnitude.
Expect another high-scoring game on Friday, given the players on show, even though it will be a black soil pitch, where the GT bowlers are capable of restricting any opposition. The temperature in Ahmedabad is expected to touch 42 degrees Celsius, and evening is not expected to be much cooler.
Stats and trivia: Buttler eyes IPL milestone, left not right for Klaasen
- Jos Buttler has over 400 runs in IPL 2025 at an average of 81.20 and a strike rate of 168.46. But SRH have two bowlers who have had reasonable success against him in T20s: Mohammed Shami (three dismissals in 81 balls, strike rate of 132.09) and Pat Cummins (three dismissals in 61 balls, strike rate of 136.06).
- Buttler needs 12 runs to get to 4000 in the IPL, and could be the third fastest to the mark, beating Suryakumar Yadav (2714 balls), who got there in MI's previous match
- GT have scored at the fastest rate (9.98 runs per over) and lost the fewest wickets (14) in the middle overs (7 to 16) in IPL 2025. On the other hand, SRH have conceded at the second-quickest rate (9.53) and taken the second-least wickets (23) in this phase this season.
- Since the start of IPL 2024, Heinrich Klaasen has been dismissed by a left-arm orthodox spinner five times, the joint-most along with Ajinkya Rahane. The last time he played against GT, R Sai Kishore dismissed Klaasen.
Quotes
"He is getting to understand the nuances of leadership, as well as his relationships with players. He is growing as a captain day by day. Captaincy has made him understand the additional responsibility. It seems some players sometimes thrive with the additional responsibility, I am pleased he is playing well."
Director of cricket Vikram Solanki heaps praise on Shubman Gill
Director of cricket Vikram Solanki heaps praise on Shubman Gill
S Sudarshanan is a sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo. @Sudarshanan7