Gujarat Titans (GT) have secured a playoff spot in IPL 2025, currently leading the points table with nine wins out of twelve matches. Their dominance is further highlighted by their players topping both the Orange and Purple Cap standings. While their success is attributed to a strong team effort, the opening partnership of B Sai Sudharsan and Shubman Gill has been particularly noteworthy, with both being the only two batsmen this season to surpass 600 runs.

Tom Moody attributes their prolific run-scoring to their ability to “shift through five gears,” indicating a significant development in their batting approach compared to previous years when they might have had only “three gears.”

Their unbroken double-century partnership in a recent match against Delhi Capitals exemplified their consistent ability to bat long, deep, and quickly without appearing to take undue risks. Moody observed that they complement each other well, with one often supporting the other if they get off to a fast start. He also highlighted their reliance on traditional strokeplay.

So far this season, Gill and Sai Sudharsan have amassed 839 runs as a pair, averaging an impressive 76.27, and have recorded three century stands. This consistency at the top has been crucial to GT’s victories, often leaving opposition bowlers struggling to build pressure.

Piyush Chawla emphasized their exceptional ability to rotate the strike, even on challenging pitches. He noted their proficiency in converting good deliveries into singles, thus negating dot balls, while also capitalizing on scoring opportunities for boundaries. Chawla recalled a match against Kolkata Knight Riders where Gill made a difficult pitch appear easy to bat on, showcasing his and Sai Sudharsan’s quality.

While their ability to score quickly is evident in their boundary statistics – Sai Sudharsan leading the league in fours (68) and Gill being second (54), along with 20 and 23 sixes respectively – their key strength lies in minimizing dot balls. GT has the lowest dot-ball percentage (27.72%) among all teams, indicating the class and technique of their batting pair.

Moody concluded that Gill and Sai Sudharsan are “proper batters” with the technique to handle difficult situations and the evolved ability to accelerate their scoring effectively throughout their innings.