The Gujarat Titans' (GT) IPL 2025 campaign ended in disappointment after a 20-run defeat to the Mumbai Indians (MI) in the Eliminator, prompting criticism of Shubman Gill's captaincy. Former Indian cricketer Robin Uthappa was particularly vocal, suggesting that Gill's strategies were "reactive rather than proactive."

Uthappa highlighted the decision to use Prasidh Krishna in the powerplay overs as a key misstep. Despite Krishna being the leading wicket-taker for GT this season, his success had primarily come in the middle overs. Uthappa argued that Krishna's expensive first over put GT on the back foot and that Gill failed to adjust his strategy accordingly.

Adding to the woes, GT's fielding performance was subpar, with crucial catches being dropped. Rohit Sharma, who ultimately scored a match-winning 81 for MI, was dropped twice early in his innings. Uthappa emphasized that dropping multiple catches in a high-stakes game significantly diminishes a team's chances of winning a championship. Gill himself admitted that dropping three sitters didn't help his team.

Chasing a target of 229, GT's batting faltered despite a strong showing from Sai Sudharsan, who scored a valiant 80. Washington Sundar also contributed with a quickfire 48, but after their dismissals, the innings lost momentum. Gill himself had a disappointing outing, falling for just one run in the first over.

While Gill acknowledged that the last few games hadn't gone their way, he praised Sudharsan's consistent performance throughout the season. He felt that restricting MI to around 210 would have been a par score on that pitch and lamented the costly sixes conceded in the final over.

The defeat also highlighted GT's over-reliance on a few key players, including Gill and Sudharsan. While Sherfane Rutherford and Shahrukh Khan made some contributions in the middle order, the team missed the presence of Jos Buttler. Prasidh Krishna carried the bowling attack, with occasional support from Mohammed Siraj. Rashid Khan, usually a key figure, had a relatively quiet season.

Despite the criticism, Gill finished the season with 650 runs in 15 matches, averaging 50 with a strike rate of 155.87. However, his leadership during crucial moments came under scrutiny, particularly his tactical decisions and inability to inspire his team to raise their fielding standards.

Mumbai Indians, on the other hand, displayed resilience, having recovered from a slow start to the season. Rohit Sharma's return to form and the contributions from Jonny Bairstow, playing his first game of IPL 2025, boosted their batting lineup. Jasprit Bumrah led a strong bowling attack, which consistently applied pressure on the GT batsmen.

With this win, Mumbai Indians progressed to Qualifier 2, where they will face the Punjab Kings. Gujarat Titans' journey ended in the Eliminator, a disappointing conclusion after a promising season. The focus will now be on analyzing the team's performance and identifying areas for improvement under Shubman Gill's leadership. The team will need to address their fielding woes, develop a more proactive approach to their strategies, and reduce their dependence on a few key players if they aspire to win the title.