After a month and a half of top cricketing action, the IPL is finally reaching the business end of proceedings and we have an idea as to who is going to make the playoffs at the end of the group stage.
One team that finds themselves in complete control of their own destinies are the Gujurat Titans. Champions in 2022, before losing in the final in 2023, the Titans are back for more and will have high hopes of ending the group phase on top of the pile.
Seen as a giant in the IPL, they will have firm sights set on more IPL glory. Here is why and how they can win a second IPL crown.
A reasonable run of fixtures could see the Titans finish top of the regular season table
At the time of writing the Gujurat Titans look to have a manageable schedule that should see them win enough matches to potentially wrap up top spot in the table.
All three of their scheduled opponents currently sit outside of the playoff places and in each contest it will be the Titans who will start as the heavy favourites.
This team knows what it takes to win, the Titans finished top of the regular season standings in both 2022 and 2023. They would go onto win in 2022 and only an inspired Chennai performance would deny them a year later.
After missing out on the playoffs in 2024, the Titans are back for more and will hope to lay down a real marker over the course of their final three matches.
Stay strong with the bat
The one area where the Titans have ruled above most else is with the bat and they will hope their batting dominance continues well into the latter stages of the tournament.
At the time of writing, the Titans have three men inside the top five when it comes to who will finish the season as the Orange Cap winner.
The trio of Joss Buttler, Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan have been nothing short of exceptional, but of the three the one man that has really found his form is Joss Buttler.
The Englishman came into the IPL with some severe questions to answer about his form but he has answered them emphatically so far.
A former MVP of the IPL back in 2023, at the time of writing Buttler boasts the second best average in the tournament and he has five half centuries across eleven innings.
However, if the Titans do qualify for the playoffs they will need to do so without Buttler, as he has confirmed that he will take part in England's one day and T20 matches against the West Indies.
The delay in the IPL due to the political tensions between Pakistan and India have meant that the final has had to be pushed back. With the IPL playoff dates clashing with other fixtures around the world, it is a shame that Buttler won’t be around for the latter stages of this year’s tournament.
With Buttler missing the playoffs, most of the batting pressure will fall squarely on the shoulders of Sai Sudharsan and Shubman Gill.
Sudarharsan has been somewhat of a surprise entity in this year’s IPL but Gill has shown exactly why he is regarded as one of the best white ball players in the business.
The above table shows the last ten matches of Gill and as you can see, of late, he has become a run scoring machine.
With four half centuries in his last six innings it looked as if Gill was finding his form at exactly the right time and after the pause in proceedings he will hope to continue where he left off.
Any team in the IPL would feel the impact of a player like Joss Buttler not being in their starting lineup, Gill will hope that his form will keep his side on track for their second IPL title.
Prasidh Krishna will hope to wrap up Purple Cap honours
Whereas in the race to finish as the highest run scorer in the 2025 IPL the Titans have a trio of contenders, when it comes to the bowling stats, Prasidh Krishna stands alone at the top of the standings.
Having taken 20 wickets in the Titans first eleven matches, Krishna is tied with Noor Ahmad to take top home the Purple Cap.
A bright start to the season has tailed off slightly in recent matches with the Indian pace bowler just taking four wickets in his last three games.
Working in tandem with Mohammad Siraj, the two are one of the best pace duos in the entire IPL. With Buttler soon to depart and there being more pressure put on the batting department, it is essential that the bowlers do their best to alleviate some of that pressure. Despite all of Krishna’s heroics so far in the IPL, the real work starts now.
What do we think and what do the bookies say?
Despite sitting at the top of the IPL table the Titans rank behind RCB when it comes to the overall outright betting.
Current favourites for the tournament are RCB and although they have two English stars in their team in the shape of Liam Livingston and Phil Salt, both of their English players will be staying for the duration of the tournament.
If Buttler was hanging around we are fairly sure that the Titans overall odds would be much higher, however they will have to make do without the explosive Englishman.
The Titans have a whole host of stars to call upon and their side is one of the most talented in the entire tournament. Although Buttler’s absence will be keenly felt, the Titans should have enough star power to get through to the latter stages of the tournament.
The Titans know what it takes to win an IPL title and in comparison to a team like RCB who are yet to get the job done, that experience could end up being vital.
Yes, things are harder without Buttler, but discount their chances at your peril.
Tom Gibson
Tom Gibson, 33, possesses a keen interest in cricket combined with expertise in betting. Based in Newcastle, he is well-acquainted with the dynamics of the game and the betting world. With numerous years analyzing cricket matches and odds, Tom offers a unique perspective on the intersection of the sport and betting strategies