Gujarat Titans’ (GT) strong IPL journey met its end as they faced defeat against Mumbai Indians in the 2025 Eliminator. Known for their dynamic start, GT’s vulnerabilities—form slumps in their bowling and an inexperienced middle order—surfaced at a critical moment. These issues, compounded by poor fielding, turned their promising season into one of missed opportunities.
Despite their top trio—B Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill, and Jos Buttler—consistently contributing runs, the middle order remained under-experienced. “There’s this gap that’s crept in,” Tom Moody observed, noting that Rahul Tewatia and Sherfane Rutherford didn’t fulfil their pivotal roles. “Tewatia is usually the guy who delivers in those last few overs. This year, we needed a player like David Miller was in 2022,” he explained, referencing Miller’s decisive performances when GT lifted the trophy in their debut season.
Varun Aaron elaborated on Miller’s impact during that successful year: “Miller was the one who could come in with six or seven overs left, build his innings, and take the game deep,” recalling his remarkable average of 68.71 and a strike rate of 142.72. This season, Rutherford struggled to replicate such innings, not managing to consistently fill the gap left by Miller.
Tewatia’s performance also fell short. Across 12 innings, he amassed 99 runs from 59 balls, striking out only four times. In the match against Mumbai, he managed just one six and one four in 11 balls, missing the opportunity to change the game’s course when it mattered. Alongside him, Rutherford’s and M Shahrukh Khan’s limited contributions highlighted a season-long issue—too little time at the crease for GT’s middle order.
“Tewatia and Rutherford have similar roles,” Moody remarked. “Facing 26 balls together with just one six highlights their struggle. At that stage in the innings, boundaries are crucial, yet that’s where we fell short,” he commented.
Despite the challenges, Washington Sundar offered a silver lining, stepping in to address bowling concerns. Though he bowled just one over, his presence is seen as part of the solution GT needs: a seasoned Indian player to bolster their batting order. “Washington stepped in admirably, but finding that quality player for the middle order remains crucial,” Moody added.
Ultimately, it was these unresolved issues that saw GT’s hopes fade after the Eliminator. Yet, with reflections like these from Moody and Aaron, it’s clear that if GT can address these gaps, they still hold promise for future tournaments.
