A new IPL season brings a familiar theme for Punjab Kings: a fresh start. The franchise, known for frequent overhauls, retained only uncapped Indians Prabhsimran Singh and Shashank Singh after IPL 2024. At the mega auction in November, they re-signed Arshdeep Singh and Harpreet Brar but revamped the rest of the squad. A major change also comes in the coaching department, with Ricky Ponting taking over as head coach.

In contrast, Gujarat Titans have stuck with their core. Shubman Gill continues as captain, Rashid Khan remains their key all-rounder, and Rahul Tewatia still holds the role of a game-changer. However, they have made significant reinforcements, acquiring Jos Buttler to bolster their batting while revamping their pace attack with the likes of Kagiso Rabada, Gerald Coetzee, Mohammed Siraj, and Prasidh Krishna. While their middle order appears vulnerable, the Titans have a history of defying expectations—just as they did when they clinched the title in their debut season in 2022.

Team News and Predicted XIs

Gujarat Titans will rely heavily on their top four, as their batting lineup lacks proven depth. In an era where 250-plus scores are becoming the norm, they might be one of the last true bowling-dominant teams in the IPL.

Gujarat Titans (probable XI):

1. Shubman Gill (capt), 2. Jos Buttler (wk), 3. Sai Sudharsan, 4. Glenn Phillips, 5. Shahrukh Khan, 6. Washington Sundar, 7. Rahul Tewatia, 8. Rashid Khan, 9. R Sai Kishore, 10. Kagiso Rabada, 11. Mohammed Siraj, 12. Prasidh Krishna.

For Punjab Kings, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, and Marco Jansen are expected to be the preferred overseas players, while Josh Inglis and Azmatullah Omarzai will compete for the fourth overseas slot. If Omarzai makes the XI, Priyansh Arya could partner Prabhsimran at the top of the order.

Punjab Kings (probable XI):

1. Prabhsimran Singh, 2. Josh Inglis (wk), 3. Shreyas Iyer (capt), 4. Glenn Maxwell, 5. Nehal Wadhera, 6. Marcus Stoinis, 7. Shashank Singh, 8. Marco Jansen, 9. Harpreet Brar, 10. Vijaykumar Vyshak, 11. Arshdeep Singh, 12. Yuzvendra Chahal.

With Punjab aiming for yet another fresh start and Gujarat sticking to a more stable approach, it remains to be seen which strategy will prove more effective this season.