T20 cricket is all about momentum, and in a high-stakes league like the IPL, timing your peak right is everything, especially with the playoffs looming.
Gujarat Titans, who looked like one of the strongest contenders midway through the season, now find themselves grappling with serious concerns.
Back-to-back defeats in their last two matches have not only hurt their confidence but also dented their hopes of finishing in the top two, which could result in them having to play the knockout Eliminator match instead of securing a direct berth in Qualifier 1.
GT had built a strong run on the back of consistent performances from their top three batters, winning five out of six matches to book an early playoff spot.
However, in the span of just four days, the 2022 champions have seen their form nosedive, suffering heavy losses to Delhi Capitals and Chennai Super Kings.
Was it complacency or a case of easing off after securing qualification? Either way, the Titans will now look to regroup and refocus as they attempt to revive their title charge.
GT Captain Shubman Gill, who got a major boost on Saturday after being named India's Test captain, will now have to quickly address the issues plaguing his team.
A look at GT's major concerns heading into the playoffs:
Top heavy batting line-up
GT's batting has been one of their biggest strengths this season, with Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill, and Jos Buttler all featuring among the top 10 run-getters.
Sai Sudharsan is the leading run-scorer with 679 runs from 14 matches, closely followed by Gill with 649 runs and Buttler is not far behind with 538 runs.
Apart from the top three, GT's middle and lower order has been worryingly inconsistent.
Sherfane Rutherford and Shahrukh Khan haven't been able to deliver consistently lower down the order, while Rahul Tewatia, known for his finishing abilities, has flopped with the bat.
The batting collapse in the face of 200-plus chases against DC and CSK exposed this over-reliance on the top order. When the top three failed, the rest also crumbled, leading to two comprehensive defeats.
Buttler's absence
GT will also have to contend with the absence of Jos Buttler, who will miss the playoffs as he returns to England for the white-ball series against the West Indies.
Buttler was the backbone of the middle order for GT, with five fifties this season, tallying 538 runs at an average of 59.77 with an impressive strike rate of 163.03.
Such was his consistency that he fell below 20 in only three of his 13 innings this season, while hitting five fifties in total.
His absence creates a major void in the middle order and could also disrupt the balance of the side.
The experienced Kusal Mendis could take Buttler's place with the gloves. The Sri Lankan wicketkeeper-batter brings international pedigree but lacks IPL experience.
Bowling woes
GT's bowling shortcomings have been thoroughly exposed in the last two games. LSG piled up a huge 235/2 against GT, before CSK smashed 230/5 as GT's bowling looked completely clueless.
Prasidh Krishna has been the standout performer for GT with the ball this season. He is the leading wicket-taker so far this season with 23 wickets from 14 games at an economy rate of 7.90.
Spinner R Sai Kishore has delivered in the middle overs, taking 17 wickets, while Mohammed Siraj has bagged 15 wickets but has struggled with his control.
Left-arm pacer Arshad Khan has gone for more than 10 per over to take six wickets from nine matches.
To make matters worse, Kagiso Rabada's unavailability for the playoffs due to national duties further weakens their bowling resources at a critical juncture.
Rashid's lack of form
GT's biggest worry this season has been Rashid Khan's form.
This season is turning out to be the Afghanistan spinner's worst of his IPL career. He has picked up just nine wickets from 14 games, while going at 9.47 per over.
He has struggled with rhythm and hasn't posed the usual threat, making it easier for opposition batters to take him on in the middle overs.
If Rashid fails to turn around his form in the playoffs, GT could find themselves lacking a match-winning option in the middle overs.
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