Punjab Kings’ captain Shreyas Iyer during a training session ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) match against Gujarat Titans at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. (PTI)

Ahmedabad: Two franchises with refreshed squads, Gujarat Titans and Punjab Kings, aim to start the 18th Indian Premier League (IPL) season positively at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Tuesday, following their disappointing performances last season.
The contest will also showcase a leadership battle between Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer, both established Indian ODI players but with uncertain T20I spots. With the Men in Blue eyeing a potential successor to Rohit Sharma, Iyer—having led KKR to IPL glory last year and Mumbai to the Syed Mushtaq Ali title last December—could be a candidate.
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Gill, meanwhile, has already been anointed as Rohit’s successor, having served as vice-captain in both Tests and ODIs. However, his T20I credentials are under the scanner. His IPL record with the Titans has been modest. He replaced Hardik Pandya as skipper last year but managed to win just five games out of 12.

Both teams struggled last season, with the Titans finishing eighth and the Kings ninth in the ten-team competition. The Kings are now coached by Aussie great Ricky Ponting, who has already vowed to make the franchise one of the “greatest teams” in the competition.
They have a balanced squad to begin with. Their batting lineup is explosive, featuring Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh, Vishnu Vinod, and Josh Inglis. However, it is their all-round strength that gives the franchise more depth.
The Titans will welcome the return of solid left-hander Sai Sudharsan, who is back from surgery, while their middle order features new faces alongside Rahul Tewatia. Gill and Jos Buttler will open the batting, and in the middle order, they have game-changers like Shahrukh Khan, Sherfane Rutherford, and Glenn Phillips.