Gujarat Titans are on the brink of securing a coveted top 2 spot in the IPL 2025 playoffs, and a win against Chennai Super Kings at their home ground in Ahmedabad will seal the deal. While GT are playing for position and momentum, CSK—five-time champions—are playing for pride, languishing at the bottom of the table for the first time in their storied history.
Led by Shubman Gill, Gujarat Titans have been one of the most consistent sides this season. They’ve relied heavily on their top 3 batters—Gill, Sai Sudharsan, and Jos Buttler—who have scored 75% of the team’s runs. Sudharsan and Gill have both crossed the 600-run mark, while Buttler has piled up 533 runs at a strike rate of 165. However, this will be Buttler’s last game of the season before he leaves for national duty, and he’ll want to end on a high.
To prepare for the playoffs, Gujarat may hand Kusal Mendis some game time today in place of Sherfane Rutherford, as Mendis is expected to take over from Buttler in Qualifier 1.
Their bowling has also clicked at the right times. Prasidh Krishna, with 21 wickets, is the current purple cap holder, while R Sai Kishore and Mohammed Siraj have been solid. If Rashid Khan finds form, GT could become nearly unstoppable in the knockouts.
For CSK, it’s been a season to forget. Injuries, inconsistent selections, and underwhelming form have haunted the side. They've used 22 players so far—an unusual stat for a team known for sticking to a core group. Shivam Dube is their top run-scorer but ranks only 19th overall, while Noor Ahmed is tied for the purple cap—no other CSK bowler features in the top 15.
Gujarat lead the head-to-head 4-3, and history, form, and momentum are all in their favor.
Key battles include Ayush Mhatre vs Prasidh Krishna, Gill vs Noor Ahmed, and Sudharsan vs Khaleel Ahmed—duels that could dictate the rhythm of the match.
A win today means Gujarat Titans will get two shots at the final. For Chennai, it's about restoring a sliver of pride before bowing out.
