As Gujarat Titans (GT) return to the imposing Narendra Modi Stadium on Friday, redemption will be top of their agenda after a humbling at the hands of Rajasthan Royals (RR). The Titans, who posted a daunting 209, were left shell-shocked by 14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi’s historic 35-ball century — a whirlwind innings that consigned GT to an eight-wicket defeat.
However, with the business end of IPL 2025 fast approaching, there’s no cause for panic in the Titans camp. Shubman Gill’s men remain well-positioned with 12 points from nine matches and are just two wins away from a possible playoff berth. Their campaign, built on stability and star power, has seen consistent returns from both bat and ball. The batting trio of Sai Sudharsan (456 runs), Jos Buttler (406 runs), and Gill himself (389 runs) continues to strike fear into opposition attacks.
Gujarat Titans: Largely unchanged but Coetzee could be X-Factor
The Titans’ top-order is expected to remain unchanged, with the in-form trio of Gill, Sudharsan, and Buttler once again forming the nucleus of the batting effort. Sherfane Rutherford, Shahrukh Khan, Rahul Tewatia, and Washington Sundar round out a middle order capable of both acceleration and damage control.
While GT wait on the return of Kagiso Rabada — still unavailable due to personal reasons — the question arises whether they should persist with Karim Janat. The Afghan all-rounder had a forgettable debut against Rajasthan, leaking 30 runs in a single over. With the playoffs in sight, the Titans may not have the luxury of patience. Enter Gerald Coetzee.
The South African tearaway is raw pace and aggression personified — the kind of bowler who could thrive on the pacey surface of Ahmedabad. Coetzee has prior IPL experience with Mumbai Indians and has developed into a wicket-taking machine in T20s. Since 2023, Coetzee has played 36 T20s, picking up 51 wickets at an average of 21.84 and a strike rate of just 13.9. While his economy (9.40) remains a work in progress, his ability to rattle batters with pace makes him a genuine Impact Player option for GT.
| Inns | Runs | Wkts | BBI | Ave | Econ | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 35 | 1114 | 51 | 4/24 | 21.84 | 9.40 | 13.9 |
GT have previously shown willingness to play with just two overseas players, but with playoff stakes rising, opting for Coetzee’s firepower could offer a decisive edge — especially against an SRH lineup struggling for fluency at the top.
GT Predicted Playing XI vs SRH (with Impact Sub)
| No. | Player | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Shubman Gill (C) | Right-hand batter |
| 2. | Sai Sudharsan | Left-hand batter |
| 3. | Jos Buttler (WK) | Right-hand batter, WK |
| 4. | Sherfane Rutherford | Left-hand batter |
| 5. | Shahrukh Khan | Right-hand batter |
| 6. | Washington Sundar | All-rounder |
| 7. | Rahul Tewatia | All-rounder |
| 8. | Rashid Khan | Leg-spinner |
| 9. | Sai Kishore | Left-arm spinner |
| 10. | Mohammed Siraj | Right-arm fast |
| 11. | Prasidh Krishna | Right-arm fast |
| 12. | Gerald Coetzee | Right-arm fast (Impact Sub) |
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