IPL 2025: 5 Reasons Why PBKS Might Stun Gujarat Titans at Narendra Modi Stadium

Two teams having a lot of pride at stake are going to face off in their first matches of the 2025 IPL season. Four matches have already been completed in the tournament, and it is the fifth match of the season. This high-octane contest will take place at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Gujarat Titans will enter the favourites considering it's their home conditions and they look better on paper than their opponent team - Kings XI Punjab.

Despite this, here are 5 major reasons why the Kings can outperform Gujarat Titans at the Modi stadium.

New coach Ricky Ponting is at the helm.

One strategic move made by Punjab Kings ahead of this IPL season is to bring in Australian legend Ricky Ponting as the head coach. Immediately, Ponting ensured that they were having Shreyas Iyer in the team. Iyer, who was already feeling low that he didn't get the deserved recognition despite winning the title as KKR captain, trusted Ponting and joined the Punjab team. It must also be noted that Shreyas Iyer and Ricky Ponting previously worked with each other in Delhi Capitals and saw huge success together.

Shreyas Iyer—Defending IPL Captain

If Ponting was one reason, then Shreyas Iyer is another reason why Punjab Kings can confidently head into the game, trusting their tactics. With KKR, it was hyped as Gambhir's team, and the Indian coach got all the credit for the team winning the title, but Iyer's role must not be understated. He will surely take the winning expertise, and with Ponting at the helm, Shreyas will surely look to turn Punjab King's fortunes.

Big hitters

Even last year, Punjab Kings had big hitters in the form of Prabhsimran Singh, Jitesh Sharma, Ashutosh Sharma, etc. The same repeats this year as well as the team looks balanced with the likes of Glenn Maxwell, Shreyas Iyer, Priyansh Arya, Marcus Stoinis, and Nehal Wadhera.

Spinners: Yuzvendra Chahal and Harpreet Brar

Yuzvendra Chahal will join the Punjab Kings in hopes of reviving his cricketing fate. With the stupendous rise of talent in the country, Chahal's replacements were found, and his own lack of form didn't help. As a result, he lost his spot on the Indian cricket team, and his stint with PBKS is a chance for him to regain lost glory.

More match winners

The Punjab Kings team looks promising now more than ever. All they need is a perfect strategy, and they can revive their fortunes this season. With the likes of Nehal Wadhera, Marcus Stoinis, and Priyansh Arya, the Punjab team heads into the match vs. GT with a lot of hope.