IPL 2025: Five Domestic Players Who Can Make A Difference For Gujarat Titans

After a commanding title win in their first season which was followed by a narrow last ball defeat in the final of IPL 2023, the Gujarat Titans’ had a disappointing outing in the 2024 season, finishing eighth and lacking bite both in their batting and bowling. Having retained most of their key performers, the Gujarat Titans have assembled a well-balanced and strong squad this season. Thus, in his second year at GT skipper, can the Gujarat Titans repeat the heroics of 2022? 

In this article, we take a look at the five domestic players who can make a difference for the Gujarat Titans this coming season. 

Prasidh Krishna

Having had to sit out the last two editions of the IPL due to injuries, Karnataka’s Prasidh Krishna has been in great form ahead of this year’s marquee T20 tournament. The 28-year-old fast bowler came back from a successful tour of Australia – albeit in terms of personal milestones. He picked up six wickets in this one and only Test down under at Sydney and looked in great rhythm throughout the Test. 

Only available for Karnataka’s knockout matches in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, Krishna picked up seven wickets in just three games and helped his stateside lift the Vijay Hazare Trophy. With the Gujarat Titans likely to go with one of Kagiso Rabada or Gerald Coetzee, Krishna is likely to act as the third seamer alongside Mohammad Siraj. 

R Sai Kishore

The Gujarat Titans are heading into the 2025 season with seven spinners, if one would include Glenn Philips’ canny offbreaks. Last season, the 28-year-old left-arm spinner from Tamil Nadu only played five games for the Titans, however, with a bigger spin contingent, one can expect GT to dish out slow and turning wickets. 

Ahead of IPL 2025, Sai Kishore has been in decent form. He picked up nine wickets in the group stages of SMAT, going at 7.52 runs per over. Whenever the pitches offered some assistance, the 28-year-old was hard to go after. In the recently concluded VHT, he picked up just seven wickets, however, batters did find it difficult to score freely off him. Considering the team composition, he’d have a straight 1v1 fight against Nishant Sindhu for a spot in the playing XI, but given his experience and know-how, the management might just side with Sai to start the season with. 

Washington Sundar

Another spin bowling all-rounder with a point to prove. Tamil Nadu’s Washington Sundar played just two IPL games last season, both as Impact Sub. Having featured for the Indian National team in both red and white-ball cricket since last season’s IPL, the 25-year-old all-rounder’s stock has risen tremendously over recent months. Moreover, he’s ability to bowl both with the new-ball and during the middle-overs as well as his batting ability makes him a valuable asset to have. 

He had an excellent series against New Zealand and played some crucial innings lower down the order in Australia. If the conditions are conducive of spin bowling, the trio of Sundar, Rashid Khan and Sai Kishore will become even more potent as all three of them keep things tight and rarely bowl loose deliveries. 

Shahrukh Khan

The Gujarat Titans have shown a lot of faith by retaining someone who has not crossed the 200 runs mark in any of his four IPL campaigns so far. Despite showing glimpses of what he’s capable of, the 29-year-old Tamil Nadu cricketer had another disappointing campaign in 2024. Apart from his knocks of 58(30) and 37(24), both of which came against the Royal Challengers Bangalore, Shahrukh has scores of 14, 0, 8,8 & 2 against the other teams. 

There could be some merit to GT’s logic, considering he has already shown glimpses of his batting might in other domestic competitions. In last year’s TNPL, the 29-year-old scored 225 runs in seven innings, at a strike-rate of 183. The recently concluded SMAT proved to be a struggle for Shahrukh, scoring just 137 runs in six games. However, the right-handed batter exhibited his explosive best in the one and only VHT match that he played in, scoring an unbeaten 85-ball 132 against Uttar Pradesh.

Mahipal Lomror

Mahipal Lomror has been in great form recently. The 25-year-old batter from Rajasthan has been consistently scoring runs both in red and white-ball cricket and will definitely have a part to play for GT this upcoming IPL season. Having already played for both Rajasthan Royals and Royal Challengers Bangalore, Lomror – coming down the order – has struggled for consistency with limited opportunities. 

With their top-heavy approach, GT will need a dependable middle-order and the likes of Shahrukh Khan and Rahul Tewatia – both retained – haven’t lived up to their end of the bargain in recent seasons. The 25-year-old Mahipal Lomror, for that matter, has scored 438 runs in the recently concluded VHT and has 573 runs in just seven innings in the Ranji Trophy. Thus, to bed in someone like Mahipal Lomror either as a starter or an Impact Sub will be crucial for the Titans especially given the form he’s in.