Captaincy, strategy, execution, you have to go give full marks to Gujarat Titans as they waltzed to the top of the points table in IPL 2025. To be inserted by Rajasthan Royals captain Sanju Samson and then enjoy batting on their home ground at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Wednesday night, this was comfort zone.

The initial few overs may have been iffy but the way Sai Sudharsan, an extremely attractive left-handed batter who has embraced Ahmedabad as his home continues to rock and roll, leaves none in doubt about his pedigree. Of course, being a batter-dominated game, that bowlers are still vital was emphasised by GT as they cleaned up Rajasthan to win by 58 runs.

For those who may be tempted to think only Sai Sudharsan and Prasidh Krishna are the architects of the Gujarat Titans win, that's wrong. There is team work in Gujarat Titans, even though the first season for them under the leadership of Shubman Gill, after Hardik Pandya was taken away by Mumbai Indians before the 2024 IPL season has turned out to be a blessing in disguise.

The joke is, MI wanted to build on the future and saw in Hardik a great leader. His leadership is under the scanner, for unless the MI team wins, the mega price tags attached and 'transfer fee' paid becomes meaningless.

If anything, Hardik moving away has helped Gill blossom as a leader. There is that teflon-coated calm in what he does and the rub-off effect is, his boys also play consistent cricket. There is nothing like 'star culture' or 'Dadgiri' in the GT team, viewed from beyond the boundary.

And if one looks at leadership skills and styles in the IPL 2025, Gill is like the captain on the flight deck ready for rough weather. How does one forget, four months before the IPL began, the rumour mills were talking about a change in GT captaincy! Blah.

What's come across as bizarre in the IPL 2025 is some captains' fetish for fielding first after winning the toss in near bone-dry conditions. It looks weird. On Tuesday, Kolkata Knight Riders skipper Ajinkya Rahane won the toss and fielded first.

Is it that the KKR side has no faith in its own batting or are captains and team managements obsessed with 'dew factor.' There is some dew in Kolkata but Ahmedabad in April is like a 'tandoor,' even though the summer heat in April this year has not peaked.

Evenings are still pleasant.

When you factor humidity at around 38 per cent, where is the dew going to come into play, Sanju Samson and coach Rahul Dravid need to answer.

For sure, both Dravid and Sanju have been in and around the IPL for a long time. If they thought they have bowling arsenal to prise open the Gujarat top order, that did not happen. Sai Sudharsan and Jos Buttler batted sensibly and saw off the early challenge posed by Jofra Archer.

Why Archer was removed from the firing line is weird. Sanju is a seasoned captain but he has got it all wrong this time with so much experience under his belt.

In contrast, when one views LSG skipper Rishabh Pant and Gill, they handle the match situation and pressure better.

Sai has been a delight for Gujarat Titans. Compare and contrast his consistency with the other batters in the IPL 2025, Sai is right up there, like the famous Lord who is revered by the devout. Sai Sudharsan has played his basic cricket and shone for Tamil Nadu.

As a Gujarat Titans player, he has embraced Ahmedabad like his home away from home. When he came to GT in 2022, it was at Rs 20 lakhs. Nothing wrong in that since he was an unproven commodity in the IPL.

Where he has gone from strength to strength and proved his worth is consolidating as a batter. He scored 362 runs in the 2023 season, though his 96 off 47 balls in the final against Chennai Super Kings was a heart break. In the IPL 2024 season, Sai scored 527 runs at an average of 47.90. For IPL 2025, Sai Sudharsan was retained at Rs 8.5 crores.

For those who rave about Sai, he has the technique, is compact and does not throw his bat. Even the innings he crafted against Rajasthan Royals was not about being brazen. He is mature, and at 23, destined for greatness. He has already proved himself in red ball cricket, so to embrace white ball in the IPL is a clear sign he can become important for India in the long run.

That is, if the BCCI wants to pick players on form and consistency rather than just go back to marquee names with glory from the past. After all, even Bollywood or Hollywood does not give lead roles to those who are no longer fresh and can keep the audience hooked.

Sai scored 82 off 53 deliveries. It was clear, he wanted to bat deep, which is sensible. After all, to be in the middle till the 19th over, defined Sai's application. Fans will realise an innings like this helps the team score more towards the end as well, which is how GT scored 217 for 6, with Rahul Tewatia also chipping in with 24. They were valuable runs.

Once RR batted, the famed Gujarati Lions, not the ones at Gir but at the Narendra Modi Stadium were ready to devour the batters. The GT bowling attack is one which has pace, spin and variety.

If Mohammed Siraj was not running through the side, Prasidh Krishna ensured he would bowl with creativity and cunning. Tall and blessed with a good physique, the 29-year-old fast bowler has been penetrative all along. He is patient as well and bowls without just banging in the ball mindlessly.

Krishna uses his height at six feet and three inches. Born in Bengaluru, he is a key bowler who also toured Australia but was treated more like a tourist by coach Gautam Gambhir. Prasidh Krishna knows he has to just continue with what he does best, bowl intelligently. Even a top fast bowler like Jasprit Bumrah rates him highly.

And for those who thought Rashid Khan had slipped into the comfort zone, the Afghani was back in his elements to pick two wickets. One more Sai - Ravisrinivasn Sai Kishore was also there to clean up the RR lower order. Impressive stuff, since Gujarat Titans have shown to be consistent in the first phase of the IPL 2025 needs good execution .