Winning the toss in their season opener, Gill chose to field first, factoring in the dew conditions. However, opening bowlers Mohammed Siraj and Kagiso Rabada couldn’t execute their plans effectively, despite dismissing Prabhsimran Singh during a 73-run powerplay.
With the hosts in need of a breakthrough, Gill made a costly decision during the first half of the game. On the very first ball of the sixth over, Rabada, bowling his third consecutive over, delivered a perfect length ball that Shreyas Iyer missed while attempting a flick.
The ball struck his pad, prompting Gill to review, despite Buttler’s objections. When the ball tracking was shown, it revealed the ball would have missed the stumps, making impact outside the leg stump due to the seam. As a result, the on-field decision stood, sparking a Twitter uproar over Gill’s poor DRS call.
— david Miller (@MillerDavi20894) March 25, 2025
Shreyas Iyer, who led Kolkata Knight Riders to an IPL title last year before being released by the franchise, will now aim to replicate that success with the often underachieving Punjab Kings.
Meanwhile, Gill will look to revive Gujarat’s fortunes after a disappointing campaign last year, where they finished 8th following back-to-back final appearances in 2022 and 2023 under former captain Hardik Pandya.
Gujarat’s batting will heavily rely on Gill and Jos Buttler at the top, but they also have a strong supporting cast with players like Sherfane Rutherford, Sai Sudharsan, Shahrukh Khan, and all-rounders Rashid Khan, Rahul Tewatia, Glenn Phillips, Washington Sundar, and Mahipal Lomror, all of whom can strengthen their batting lineup.
Their pace attack is equally formidable, with Mohammed Siraj, Kagiso Rabada, Prasidh Krishna, Gerald Coetzee, and Ishant Sharma leading the charge, while Rashid and Sai Kishore will spearhead the spin attack.