Shubman Gill-led Gujarat Titans (GT) are set to start their IPL 2025 journey with their first match against Punjab Kings (PBKS) at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Tuesday, March 25. GT, the 2022 IPL champions under Hardik Pandya, had a tough time in IPL 2024. They finished eighth in the points table, managing only five wins in 14 matches. With Gill as the captain, the team hopes to perform better and make a fresh start this season.
On the other hand, Punjab Kings have appointed Shreyas Iyer as their captain. He aims to lead them to their first-ever IPL title.
Ahead of IPL 2025, Gujarat Titans officially announced their new owners in February. Torrent Group, a well-known business group interested in healthcare and energy, has taken over the franchise. Their holding company, Torrent Investments Private Limited (TIPL), has bought a 67% stake in Gujarat Titans (Irelia Sports India Private Limited) from Irelia Company Pte Ltd.
Earlier, Irelia was completely owned by funds managed by CVC. However, this deal is still subject to official approvals, including permission from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
As per reports, the Gujarat Titans franchise is now valued at approximately ?7500 crore. Torrent Group has paid around ?5025 crore to CVC to acquire the majority stake. While the agreement was finalized some time ago, GT could only announce the new owners now because of BCCI's rule preventing ownership changes for three years.
CVC had initially purchased Gujarat Titans in 2021 for ?5625 crore. With its new valuation, GT has become the most expensive franchise in IPL history.
As part of this deal, Irelia will still hold 33% of Gujarat Titans. This partnership between a leading Indian business group and a global private equity firm is the first of its kind in Indian sports. Experts believe it could bring more opportunities for growth and collaboration in cricket.
Jinal Mehta, Director of Torrent Group, expressed excitement about this new ownership. He said, "Owning Gujarat Titans gives us a great opportunity to enhance the fan experience and explore new growth possibilities in the future."
Similarly, Siddharth Patel, Managing Partner at CVC, called this deal the Ą°beginning of a new era for IPL and Gujarat Titans.Ąą
Gujarat Titans made a strong debut in IPL 2022 by winning the title under Hardik PandyaĄ¯s captaincy. The following year, they reached the final but lost to Chennai Super Kings. Before IPL 2024, Hardik Pandya left Gujarat Titans to join Mumbai Indians, and Shubman Gill was made the new captain. However, GT had a poor season, finishing eighth.
Torrent Group is a major player in different industries. Apart from healthcare, the company has a strong presence in the gas and power sectors. It was founded in 1959 by Uttambhai Patel. According to reports, as of June 2024, the groupĄ¯s market capitalisation was around $20 billion (?1.68 lakh crore).
UttambhaiĄ¯s two sons, Samir and Sudhir Mehta, have expanded the company significantly over the years.
According to Forbes 2024, the combined net worth of Samir and Sudhir Mehta is Rs 1.41 lakh crore. Reports suggest that Sudhir MehtaĄ¯s son, Jeenal Mehta, will oversee Gujarat TitansĄ¯ IPL operations.
Jeenal Mehta holds a Bachelor of Business Studies (BBS) degree and an MBA from the University of Technology, Sydney. Currently, he serves as the Managing Director of Torrent Power.
Torrent Group believes that acquiring Gujarat Titans is just the beginning of their journey in Indian cricket. They hope to strengthen GT as a team, bring in top players, and ensure long-term success in the IPL.
Shubman Gill (C), Jos Buttler, Sai Sudarshan, Shahrukh Khan, Glenn Philips, Washington Sundar, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Kagiso Rabada, Mohammed Siraj.
GT Impact Subs: Ishant Sharma/Mahipal Lomror
Shubman Gill (c), Anuj Rawat, Jos Buttler, Kumar Kushagra, Sherfane Rutherford, Sai Sudharsan, M Shahrukh Khan, Rashid Khan, Karim Janat, Mahipal Lomror, Glenn Phillips, Nishant Sindhu, Manav Suthar, Rahul Tewatia, Washington Sundar, Arshad Khan, Gerald Coetzee, Gurnoor Brar, Kulwant Khejroliya, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Kagiso Rabada, Sai Kishore, Ishant Sharma, Jayant Yadav.
With a new ownership, a young captain in Shubman Gill, and a hunger to bounce back, Gujarat Titans will aim for a strong comeback in IPL 2025.
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