Gujarat Titans looked set for another deep playoff run in IPL 2025. With Shubman Gill at the helm, they consistently occupied the top two spots on the points table throughout the league stage. The team showed composure, talent, and balance, all the signs of a championship contender. But when it came to the crunch, they faltered. In the eliminator clash, they ran into a ruthless Mumbai Indians side led by their former captain Hardik Pandya. MI smashed 228 runs, and despite GT’s valiant chase, they fell short by 20 runs and were knocked out of the tournament.

GT’s early exit was unexpected and disappointing, especially for a side that has been among the most consistent since its debut. Their downfall wasn’t about one bad day; it was the result of repeated issues that finally caught up with them. Here are five things that went wrong for the Gujarat Titans this season.

Overreliance on Top 3

Throughout the IPL 2025 season, Gujarat Titans leaned heavily on their top three batters. Jos Buttler with 538 runs in 14 innings, Sai Sudharsan with a stunning 759 runs in 15 matches, and Shubman Gill with 650 runs in 15 innings were exceptional. But beyond them, there was a vacuum. The team failed to invest in a proven number four or an experienced middle-order option. Players like Nitish Rana or Karun Nair could have brought stability, while someone like KL Rahul could have offered the perfect backup leadership and middle-order presence. Instead, GT persisted with Shahrukh Khan, Sherfane Rutherford, and Washington Sundar as floaters. While Sundar had a couple of bright innings, the lack of a consistent batter at number four hurt them. Once the top three failed to fire together, GT’s batting crumbled. This lack of balance and depth in the batting cost them crucial games in the back end of the season.

Bowlers Going Off the Boil

The last four matches of the season showcased how drastically GT’s bowling had deteriorated. They leaked a massive 892 runs across those four games, averaging about 223 runs per match. This collapse in bowling performance proved to be one of their biggest downfalls. Rashid Khan, once the backbone of their attack, failed to deliver at his usual standard and was far less effective in the middle overs. Meanwhile, Prasidh Krishna and Mohammed Siraj struggled to find rhythm and could not pick timely wickets. In the Eliminator against Mumbai Indians, GT conceded 228 and failed to contain the run rate from the beginning. The pressure on the bowlers was evident, and their inability to execute yorkers and variations at the death made them vulnerable. A once reliable unit suddenly looked toothless. Poor bowling form at a crucial time not only cost them games but also dented their confidence going into the playoffs.

Improper Squad and Slot Selection

One of the Gujarat Titans’ key structural flaws this season was their failure to build a team based on role clarity and slot-based requirements. In a T20 tournament as dynamic as the IPL, having backups for specific roles is crucial. GT seemed to assemble players based on name value rather than fit for purpose. In the batting lineup, they picked several similar profiles, such as Shahrukh Khan, Rahul Tewatia, and Rutherford, all of whom were suited for finishing roles but could not adapt to top or middle order duties when required. In bowling, when a fourth seamer slot opened up, they picked Washington Sundar, who is more known for his batting than for his death overs bowling. Despite players like Arshad Khan and Kulwant Khejroliya being on the squad, Kulwant played only one match throughout the season. The selections lacked planning, and the absence of slot-specific backups created confusion and imbalance within the playing eleven.

Captaincy Decisions and Tactical Errors

Shubman Gill may have had a composed presence as a captain, but his tactical choices and selections throughout the season were questionable. One such major call was choosing to bowl first after winning the toss against Lucknow Super Giants on a batting-friendly surface, where LSG went on to score 235. Throughout the season, there was a clear lack of bold decisions and an unwillingness to drop underperforming players. Rashid Khan was continuously backed even when he was clearly out of rhythm and not delivering match-winning spells. Another big error was not giving Dasun Shanaka a single match despite him coming off a great ILT20 season with Dubai Capitals, where he scored 164 runs at a strike rate of 200 and played a key finishing role. There were matches where R Sai Kishore was part of the eleven but was not given even a single over. These choices reflected defensive captaincy and poor game awareness.

The Whole Team Went Off the Boil at the Business End

After securing nine wins in their first 12 games, the Gujarat Titans looked set for a top-two finish. But everything started to unravel after their league stage win over the Mumbai Indians. Instead of building on momentum, the team seemed to take things lightly. They lost to Lucknow Super Giants and Chennai Super Kings, conceding 235 and 230 runs respectively. Both teams were already eliminated, and GT’s body language was flat. The urgency was missing. Then, in the Eliminator, they allowed MI to post 228 on the board. Their team combinations also became erratic with last-minute decisions like dropping Gerald Coetzee, who had impressed against Mumbai in the league stage with both bat and ball. They brought in Kagiso Rabada against Delhi and LSG, but the move backfired. Constant chopping with the fourth seamer spot and a dip in collective performance across departments hurt them badly when it mattered the most.

Despite their elimination in the playoffs, the Gujarat Titans deserve immense credit for the way they bounced back this season. After failing to even make it to the top four last year, they regrouped strongly under new captain Shubman Gill and finished in the top two of the league stage. Their dominant run in the early part of the tournament showcased their potential and balance. Yes, the campaign ended on a disappointing note, but the growth is undeniable. Shubman Gill, still young in leadership years, will learn from these setbacks and come back stronger. His elevation as India’s Test captain speaks volumes about the trust placed in his temperament and vision. The Titans may have faltered at the final hurdle, but their future remains bright with a core group in place and a captain who is learning rapidly on the job.