GT’s Middle Order Meltdown: The Hidden Flaw in Their 2025 Campaign

What a season it has been for the Gujarat Titans (GT) in IPL 2025 – unbelievable starts, unbelievable finishes, and yes, disasters too! But if there is one question that both fans and experts alike are puzzling over, it’s what, exactly, happened to GT’s middle order? In a league where margins are slimmer than short rectangles, and matches are won and lost on the last few deliveries, CSK’s middle order utterly disappeared at a point when it could have been most valuable to GT this season. In this strange cricketing mystery, let’s try and uncover what happened that cost GT another opportunity for an IPL trophy.

When the Foundation Cracks in the Middle

Let’s be honest—GT hasn’t had the luxury of a David Miller 2022 type of form this season. When Miller would come out to bat at the 13th over, essentially rock solid, and destroy everything remotely slot-length. That balance of strength and composure was the crux of their title run, and now, fast forward to 2025, and the current group—Rutherford and Tewatia—have failed to match that.

Rutherford has been performing the role of “Miller 2.0” and has demonstrated moments of brilliance, but they have come more like sixes in a Test—one there and one here. Mostly, especially at death, he hasn’t been able to capitalize. Tewatia has the firepower and ice in his veins at the death of an innings, and whilst he still has the X factor, he has become too one-dimensionally stuck in his role, turn up, face 6 – 8 balls, and swing hard. This only works when other batsmen have done the work, but this isn’t happening regularly.

Also read:- Bumrah to the Rescue! – How MI’s Masterstroke Paid Off in IPL 2025

Boundary Currency: Not Enough in the Bank

One of the clearest indicators of GT’s middle-order problems was a recent game where Rutherford and Tewatia made 26 deliveries together and only managed one maximum. That’s nearly unconstitutional in the death overs of a T20 match. As one pundit said, “Boundaries are the currency”. At that point in a match, 1s and 2s are not good enough.

While this absence of boundary-hitting power points to a larger issue, GT has become overly dependent on the top order. They look like world-beaters when their top three click, but when they don’t, the middle order almost always falters.

The Missing Link: A Reliable Indian Middle Order

If you are paying attention, you might realize one other thing – GT lacks any consistent Indian batter in the middle order who can stabilize their lineup. Washington Sundar has done well in a couple of can-we-give-him-a-promotion roles, but he is a fill-in more than he is a finisher or anchor in the middle overs.

Most teams that win Championships have that one Indian rock in the middle order – a Surya, a Dube, a Pandya, who can play around the international power hitters, all the while keeping it somewhat calm when it is not going well. GT does not have one in the middle. The construction of their team is slightly imbalanced due to their dependency on international players finishing, and if that does not happen, or the partition collapses.

The Gujarat Titans have showcased flashes of excellence throughout IPL 2025, but far too often, the spark has been extinguished by a fragile middle order. They have set a rhythm as much off the back of lost finishing power and not having the nucleus of an Indian batting solution, as from what has occurred.

So, GT fans, what’s your opinion? Should the team rebuild their middle order or just tinker with it? And who would you bring in? Let us know in the comments!