In what turned out to be a fiery Eliminator between Mumbai Indians (MI) and Gujarat Titans (GT) in the Indian Premier League 2025 (IPL 2025), much of the attention was drawn not just by the cricket on display but by the undercurrent between the two captains, Hardik Pandya and Shubman Gill.
During the toss, cameras captured what seemed like an awkward moment as Pandya extended his hand for a handshake that Gill appeared to miss. The moment quickly went viral. Fans speculated whether tensions had been simmering between the duo ever since Pandya’s departure from GT ahead of the 2024 season.
Things only escalated when Shubham Gill was dismissed in the very first over of the run-chase. The GT skipper was adjudged LBW off MI’s left-arm pacer Trent Boult after scoring just one run off two balls. Hardik Pandya’s exuberant celebration did not go unnoticed. Many interpreted the outburst as personal, terming it as an ego clash.
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Also read: IPL 2025: “You Can’t Replace That”: Mahela Jayawardena Lauds Rohit Sharma’s Big-Match Temperament
No Bad Blood: Shubman Gill, Hardik Pandya Ends Rift Rumours on Social Media
While the social media was abuzz with the theories of the feud between Gill and Pandya, both these players took to social media to quash the narrative.
Gill posted a story on Instagram that read:
"Nothing but love (Don’t believe everything you see on the internet)."
Pandya responded soon after with his own story, showing his affection for Gill.
"Always, Shubhu baby," Pandya posted on Instagram in reply to Gill’s story.
The mutual respect shown publicly laid to rest all the speculation with both men confirming there was no bad blood.
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Gujarat Titans Crash Out of IPL 2025, Mumbai Indians to Play Qualifier 2
On the field, Mumbai Indians looked in dominant touch. Rohit Sharma top-scored with 81 runs off 50 balls, while contributions from Jonny Bairstow (47 runs off 22 balls), Suryakumar Yadav (33 runs off 20 balls), Tilak Varma (25 runs off 11 balls) and Pandya (22* runs off 9 balls) himself powered MI to 228 runs for the loss of five wickets.
Gujarat stumbled early in the run-chase with Gill’s departure. Sai Sudharsan fought hard, scoring a 49-ball 80, and Washington Sundar chipped in with 48 runs off 24 deliveries, but the target proved out of reach. GT ended at 208/6, handing MI a 20-run win.
The result means Mumbai Indians move on to face Punjab Kings (PBKS) in the Qualifier 2, while Gujarat Titans bow out of the tournament.
