Assistant coach Parthiv Patel said that the Gujarat Titans, the 2022 winners, have prepared very well and are prepared to face any challenge as they begin their IPL 2025 campaign against the Punjab Kings at the Narendra Modi Stadium.
Prior to arriving in Ahmedabad, we had a few camps. In Surat, we twice held a five-day camp. There, we’ve got excellent amenities. Everyone clearly put forth a lot of effort there. Everyone has hit enough balls, as you said. Every player has struck the cricket ball with a great deal of volume because of this.
“We have a group in Ahmedabad. On March 10, we began training, and we also participated in a few practice games. It goes without saying that we have been very careful to limit the amount of information we share on social media. However, in a limited virtual interview with IANS on Monday, Parthiv said, “I believe we are extremely well prepared and ready to take on this IPL.”
After last year’s massive auction, PBKS emerged as one of the strongest teams compared to previous IPL seasons, and Parthiv said GT can meet the challenge provided by the Shreyas Iyer-led team by adhering to their well-thought-out strategies.
Since that’s what we want to do, I think we think it’s best to keep things straightforward and comprehend the circumstances. The Punjab Kings seemed to be another powerful team at the end of the auction. Ricky Ponting and Shreyas have taken over as their new commanders. When they were with DC, that duo also performed well. However, he said, “I believe our plans would be to make sure we execute whatever we are thinking and what works for us.”
GT placed sixth in 2024 after winning the championship in 2022 and placing second in 2023. Parthiv emphasized how the batters would perform according to the available circumstances, as the opening weekend of the 2025 Indian Premier League is turning into a run fest, except the match between the Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians.
Since that’s how we want to play cricket, we’ve always thought it’s important to evaluate the situation and adjust our game accordingly. The Gujarat Titans have been playing cricket in this manner for the last three years, and it’s something we’ve been doing. It is a respectable amount of success, to be honest.
“After winning a year, you lost the final on the last ball. Yes, it wasn’t that amazing last year. However, the success percentage is really high. In other words, that is effective for Gujarat, and we don’t need to alter our strategy from the previous three years.
However, that being said, it is true that 200, 250, and 280 runs have been scored. However, circumstances are crucial. Similar to yesterday in Chennai, nobody was able to score 150–200 due to the circumstances. Even for 150, it was a close contest. Therefore, circumstances and scenario assessment are crucial, and that is what we think should be done.
Even though David Miller is no longer with GT, Parthiv believes that players like Shahrukh Khan, Rahul Tewatia, and Sherfane Rutherford can make up for his loss in the middle order.
“I don’t think there is an issue. It’s evident that it’s difficult to let go of a player who has performed really well. However, the dynamics of the auction mean that you have to let go of people occasionally. In this instance, David Miller had to be let go. However, we have added Sherfane Rutherford, a talented hitter.
Then, of course, Shahrukh Khan and Rahul Tewatia, who have performed well for GT. Obviously, you don’t look at it when someone like David Miller isn’t around. It is very challenging to fill their shoes. However, we have players that are capable of filling that position and contributing to the squad.
Parthiv’s first IPL coaching position is as assistant coach for GT. During his IPL career, Parthiv played mostly as an opener-keeper for six teams between 2008 and 2019. He won the title three times, twice with the Mumbai Indians in 2015 and 2017 and once with the Chennai Super Kings in 2010. Prior to joining GT as an assistant coach, Parthiv was an IPL pundit after the conclusion of his playing career in 2020.
“I believe being back on the ground is fantastic. In addition to completing my level two coaching course, I have some coaching experience with MI Emirates (in ILT20). It is clear that there has always been a desire to coach any team, even an IPL team. Naturally, there was a great deal of enthusiasm when this offer was made.
The second issue was that, despite playing for several teams and locations, I had never represented Gujarat, where I had played cricket for 15 to 20 years. I am thus really thankful for this chance and for returning to my home team. I’m now excited about the coaching position as well. Commentary is thus here to stay. After the two months of the IPL, I will continue to remark,” he said.
Parthiv concluded by describing how he is able to strike a balance between analytics and intuition, given that this is his first experience coaching an IPL club. “I truly enjoy watching videos, looking at numbers, and taking notes so that I can express my ideas to the player.”
“I have notes ready in case someone comes up and asks me about a particular bowler’s performance. Although data is very subjective, I do examine it. I don’t impose data on others. The player’s perspective determines this. It’s about meeting the requirements of the players.
But that’s how I see it: as a coach, I have to make sure I’m prepared for anything. Every coach has their own method for dealing with it, so here is how I prepare myself: I should have my notes and assignments available in case a player needs them.
