Former India player turned veteran commentator Aakash Chopra has picked the GT’s probable playing XI for IPL 2025. He predicted Shubman Gill and Kagiso Rabada to be GT’s leading run-scorer and wicket-taker, respectively. However, GT retained Gill for ₹16.50 crore ahead of the IPL 2025 auction. They bought Rabada for ₹10.75 crore as well.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel ‘Aakash Chopra,’ he said, “Jos Buttler with Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan at No. 3. That makes it a very good top three. You might see Mahipal Lomror at No. 4 because he is coming after playing well in domestic cricket. Then you can play one of Glenn Phillips and Sherfane Rutherford. After that, Washington Sundar and Rahul Tewatia. You can also play Shahrukh Khan in Washington Sundar’s place. That option is also available to you. Then Rashid Khan will come and after him, Kagiso Rabada, Prasidh Krishna and Mohammed Siraj. Shahrukh Khan could be the Impact sub. You can also use Ishant Sharma. There are many bowling options.”
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“Highest run-scorer this season – you can’t look beyond Shubman Gill. It will be one among Shubman Gill, Sai Sudharsan and Jos Buttler. I am going with Shubman Gill because he would be fired up as his name is not there in India’s T20I team. Who can be the highest wicket-taker? It could be Rashid Khan, but I think Kagiso Rabada because he remains fit and plays all matches,” he shared again.
However, Aakash Chopra also stated that the Gujarat Titans’ batting strategy in IPL 2025 would be to play steadily at the start of their innings
before stepping up as well.
“What will be their strategy? The top three playing the majority of overs. They might keep moving on the second or third gear initially, and straightaway overdrive after 15 overs. Everyone might feel that they are going at seven to seven-and-a-half runs per over but might suddenly score 12 runs per over in the last five. In bowling, they will set it up for Rashid Khan to come. Their fast bowlers will want to bowl so well that people will be forced to hit him, and very few people survive while hitting Rashid. I think that will be their plan, take wickets with fast bowling at the start and then pass it on to Rashid,” Aakash Chopra concluded.
