Match 35 of the 2025 Indian Premier League season brings us a clash between two teams at the top of the points table, with the Gujarat Titans hosting the Delhi Capitals at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on April 19.
For the game, here are our preview and predictions.
Both teams have been consistent since the start of the tournament and find themselves sitting comfortably at the top. Despite all the positives, however, there are certain areas both sides will want to address heading into the second half of the season.
GT have been heavily reliant on their top three batters to do the bulk of the scoring, which came back to bite them in their last game against the Lucknow Super Giants. Both Shubman Gill (60 off 38) and Sai Sudharsan (56 off 37) had given them a flying start, putting 120 on the board after 12 overs. However, the middle order failed to accelerate through the death overs, and the Titans could only manage 180/6.
It will be almost impossible for the trio of Gill, Sudharsan, and Jos Buttler to keep performing consistently throughout the 14-game league phase, so the likes of Washington Sundar, Sherfane Rutherford, and Shahrukh Khan will have to start contributing significantly sooner rather than later.
GT’s bowling unit, on the other hand, has been one of the most potent ones this season. Pacers Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna have been a breath of fresh air with the new ball, while in the middle overs left-arm spinner Ravisrinivasan Sai Kishore has been a crafty revelation.
The Delhi Capitals, on the other hand, are also enjoying life at the top of the table with five wins in their first six games of the season. Their bowlers have consistently done the job for them, with the likes of Mitchell Starc, Kuldeep Yadav, and Vipraj Nigam standing out from the rest.
In terms of batting, however, the form of Jake Fraser-McGurk in particular is becoming a major cause for concern for DC, with vice-captain Faf du Plessis also ruled out indefinitely due to injury. With Harry Brook also not replaced, the Capitals are running thin on overseas options. That said, Indian batters KL Rahul, Abishek Porel, and Karun Nair look in great nick. Add to that the firepower of Axar Patel, Tristan Stubbs, and Ashutosh Sharma, and DC remain a team capable of tearing apart any bowling attack on their day.
Looking ahead to this game at the Narendra Modi Stadium, regardless of whether they’re presented with a batting paradise or a typically tacky Ahmedabad wicket, DC won’t be fazed. On paper, they are the better side thanks to their superior middle order. And so, we back the Capitals for the win here, though dew and toss will play a huge role—as has been the case at this venue over the years.
Fantasy XI: KL Rahul (vc), Jos Buttler, Sai Sudharsan (c), Shubman Gill, Abishek Porel, Karun Nair, Axar Patel, R Sai Kishore, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Kuldeep Yadav
Venue: Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad
Winners Prediction: Gujarat Titans
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