IPL 2025: Gujarat Titans Skipper Shubman Gill shows who is the boss!

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In sport, there is a phrase called 'timing it right.' For sure, it applies to the rock star of Indian cricket, Shubman Gill. On a wet Tuesday night at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, the Gujarat Titans skipper showed muscle and mind to guide his side to a thrilling win over Mumbai Indians in the IPL 2025.

This was a victory under the Duckworth Lewis method, which is applied when rain comes into play. To chase a meagre target may have looked easy, but Gill showed great stage presence. He scored a gilt-edged 43 runs, off 46 balls in challenging conditions.

There was drama and excitement and to arrest the beast run of Mumbai Indians in their own backyard is proof Gill has blossomed in his role as a batter and leader. To upstage MI in their own den is massive, and the timing has been brilliant.

GT go to the top of the table in IPL 2025, something which is worth envy, in the last stretch. To peak, ebb and again peak, Gill has shown captaincy comes to him naturally.

At the business end of the IPL, it is about calm nerves, plotting and executing well, like the Indian Defence Forces did in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir, also late Tuesday night. The IPL is also war minus shooting, where the brave battle with bat and ball. No cliché, Gill is ready to step up for bigger roles in Team India, what with the chatter of him getting a possible leadership role in Test cricket also now hot on social media.

For sure, the GT bowlers did very well to restrict the explosive MI batters to 155 for 8 in 20 overs. Atmospheric conditions as well as the pitch were sluggish and scoring runs was not free. To not praise the GT bowlers, where the entire pace and spin pack attacked smartly was defining.

Giving the explosive batting strength of MI, Mohd Siraj, Arshad Khan, Prasidh Krishna and Sai Kishore used the white ball in a very disciplined manner. MI, under Hardik Pandya, have been on a roll in the IPL 2025. Yet, this one loss, resulting in a momentum swing for Gujarat Titans becomes important.

The race for the Final 4 to make the Playoffs is peaking, and GT have done well to be razor sharp under Gill. This young man is talented and tenacious, so to match MI strength for strength and then pin them down was important.

It's a team effort for sure from GT, but look at the history, or rivalry. Gill versus Hardik Pandya, certainly the Young Turk upstaged the seasoned pro. And, for those who may have forgotten, Pandya was the GT captain till he was hijacked by MI for a big price in 2024.

Price versus prize, if it came down to that, Gill showed how he can be useful for India. The same cannot be said of Hardik Pandya as he made strategic moves which were bad last night. He used the wrong bowler for the last over in GT's innings, after it had been cut to 19. Deepak Chahar was a wrong choice.

Maybe, Pandya the skipper forgot he should have himself bowled the last over. He can do magic but brain fade, perhaps, what was the best option. What also rankled, the number of 'no balls' which MI bowlers came up with. This was not acceptable. Or, did one costly over from Pandya make him so weak/scared!

Back to Gill, his 43 runs and the 30 runs from Jos Buttler were defining. And then came that sweet innings of 28 from Sherfane Rutherfood, as the West Indian was all smiles. Back to the rain and stop-start play, it is not easy.

That GT pulled of this heist shows Gill as a smart leader. There is talk he can be in multiple leadership roles, Tests included. And if that happens even during the England tour this summer, it will be a worthy investment.