IPL 2025, GT SWOT analysis: Can Shubman Gill's Gujarat Titans bounce back stronger to win 2nd title?

As Gujarat Titans aim for second IPL title in IPL 2025, let's take a look at their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.

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Gujarat Titans will begin their IPL 2025 campaign against Punjab Kings at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Tuesday, March 25. 

Gujarat Titans are aiming for the second title after winning it first in 2022, their debut IPL season. GT reached their second consecutive IPL final, but lost to Chennai Super Kings. In the last season, Gujarat Titans failed to qualify for the playoffs for the first time, finishing 8th in the league stage. Ahead of the IPL 2025, GT retained their core players from the previous season and added new players to their squad at the auction. Shubman Gill will continue to lead the team in the upcoming season despite his unsuccessful run as a captain in IPL 2024. 

With a new squad and new season, can Gujarat Titans turn the table around this time to win the second title? Let’s take a look at the team’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. 

SWOT analysis of Gujarat Titans

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Strengths

Gujarat Titans have top 3 formidable batters in their line-up, including Shubman Gill, Sai Sudharsan, and Jos Buttler. Gill has been consistent with his performances in IPL over the last few years and is in really good form, given his performance in the ODI series against England and Champions Trophy 2025. Sai Sudharsan was the highest run-getter for GT last season, scoring 527 runs and is expected to deliver this best in the upcoming season. Jos Buttler is an aggressive top-order batter and has the ability to anchor the innings with his strokeplays in his arsenal. 

Another strength of Gujarat Titans is their pace bowling attack, including Kagiso Rabada, Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, and Gerald Coetzee. Rabada is someone who can trouble the batters by swinging the ball in both ways,, while Siraj and Prasidh are effective with the new ball and in the death overs. Coetzee is expected to add raw pace and aggression to the attack, especially on fast pitches. Ishant is likely to be a backup pacer, providing experience and rotation in the pace bowling unit.

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Weaknesses 

One of the biggest weaknesses of Gujarat Titans lies in their middle-order. GT do not have reliable options in the middle-order, who can step up and anchor innings when needed. Shah Rukh Khan’s performance has not been consistent over the last couple of years. Though Rahul Tewatia showed his effectiveness in the middle-order, scoring 188 runs in 12 matches, it remains to be seen whether he can maintain that form and deliver under pressure. Except for Washington Sundar, GT lack of reliable Indian middle-order batter might put pressure on top-3. 

Another weakness is the lack of spin bowling options. Apart from Rashid Khan and Washington Sundar, the team lacks depth in spin bowling. Jayant Yadav is an experienced player, but has not been quite effective. Though Sai Kishore proved his worth in the last two seasons, his effectiveness against power-hitters remains a concern. Additionally, GT death bowling could be weak despite having Kagiso Rabada in the squad, as Mohammed Siraj has proven to be ineffective in the death overs, while Prasidh Krishna is making his comeback after injury and it remains to be seen whether he finds his rhythm and effectiveness in high pressure situations. 

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Opportunities 

The IPL 2025 is a big opportunity for Shubman Gill to prove his leadership skills. After having a disappointing captaincy debut season last year, Gill has the chance to redeem himself and can make a strong case to be considered the future captain of Team India by establishing himself as a strong leader in the upcoming IPL season. If the 25-year-old takes Gujarat Titans to the playoffs and in all probability, winning the second title, it could be a huge turning point of his career. 

The upcoming season is a big opportunity for Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishan. Siraj, who was released by RCB and later got dropped from the India squad for the ODI series against England and Champions Trophy 2025, can make a comeback with an impactful performance with the ball, while Prasidh Krishna, who has been out of the reckoning of Team India due to injury concerns, will look to regain his form and prove his worth after recovering from injury. Also, Gujarat Titans have the opportunity to give enough chances to Sai Kishore to establish himself as a dependable spin bowling option.

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Threats

The success of Gujarat Titans is largely reliant on their key players, including Shubman Gill, Jos Buttler, Rashid Khan, and Kagiso Rabada. They have a significant role to play in GT’s campaign and if they deliver their best, it will heavily impact the team’s chances throughout the tournament. Therefore, Gujarat Titans need to avoid over-reliance on their key players and ensure that their middle-order step up when required. If any of these players miss matches due to injuries, the team’s balance could be severely affected. 

Additionally, GT’s pace bowling unit could look if any of the pacers face setbacks. The likes of Kagiso Rabada, Ishant Sharma, and Prasidh Krishna had injury concerns in the past and if any of them get ruled or struggle with form, Gujarat Titans might find it difficult to maintain their bowling strength, especially in the death overs. Therefore, it is important for team management to rotate their pacers in order to minimize the risk of getting during the tournament.