In a league where every ball is valuable and every over can change the momentum of a match, tactical clarity is vital. That’s why fans were baffled when Gujarat Titans (GT), a team adept at data-led planning and having acute game awareness, put together a contradictory bowling plan in a high-stakes IPL 2025 game. Prasad Krishnan to open? Sai Kishore on until the sixth over? It felt unusual. The runs and wickets may be what the scoreboard shows, but much of the crux of the game comes down to the decisions made to arrive at them, and GT’s bowling plan had too many smudges.
Wrong Man, Wrong Time: The Krishnan Conundrum
Let’s address the fact on the field—Prasad Krishnan is beginning the bowling.
This is not to take anything away from Prasad Krishnan, as he has been excellent in the middle overs this season. His ability to hit hard lengths, his discipline, and his ability to cramp batters up have generally made him the go-to man, especially post-powerplay. So why put him out there initially, in the powerplay, against established players like Rohit Sharma and Jonny Bairstow, who thrive off back-of-a-length balls?
This pairing was simply wrong. These were players who love going back foot, rock and roll away through strides with little thought, then produce deliveries that are short of length which dot up for runs. The strength of GT with Krishnan became a weakness when placed in the wrong contextual circumstance.
The Curious Case of Sai Kishore’s Delay
By bringing in Washington Sundar, GT suddenly had three frontline spinners. Great, right? Having multiple spinners gives teams flexibility, variety, and control. So, what stopped them from introducing a spinner early on, particularly when two right-handers were batting up front?
Sai Kishore, as a left-arm orthodox spinner, could’ve been the ideal disruptor. Rohit and Bairstow are both players who like pace on the ball in the powerplay. So, a spinner might have forced them to manufacture shots, take more risks, and play outside their comfort zone. But GT held him back until the sixth over, by which time too much damage had already been done.
Even the experts in the box were perplexed. This felt like a clear case of missing the chance to do something that would surprise the opposition and seize some momentum early on. GT limited themselves to a very rigid plan in a game where being unpredictable can be the most effective tactic—and they ultimately paid for it.
Middle-Over Madness and the Washi Fix
It was not about who bowled when – it was about the shape of the bowling unit.In the heart of the innings, GT flexed their control game—Krishnan, Godrich, and Sundar served as pressure artists-in-residence. What was the problem? Only Siraj was suited to bowl a short burst at the start. The rest were just hard-length bowlers who are most effective with a field spread and some sort of rhythm established.
Washi (Washington Sundar) was brought in as a stop-gap, but it felt more like an impulsive decision than a recognized dilemma. After their fourth seamer was too expensive in previous games, GT attempted to correct for it. But it seemed to put them in a position where they neither had teeth in their powerplay bowling nor a proper plan in their late-phase bowling.
In a league as punishing as the IPL, mistakes like this can cost not only a match but a season. Now the big question for GT is: will they take the right lesson from this tactical slip-up, or bowl themselves into more trouble later?
Tell us – what would you have changed for GT’s bowling setup?
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