It was a high-stakes night at the IPL 2025 Eliminator in New Chandigarh. Mumbai Indians beat Gujarat Titans by 20 runs, but what caught more attention was the uncomfortable tension between Hardik Pandya and Shubman Gill.
It started at the toss. Hardik Pandya, now captain of Mumbai Indians and former skipper of Gujarat Titans, reached out for a handshake. But Gill, GT’s opener, didn’t seem to notice—or didn’t want to. He looked away. Cameras caught it. Social media exploded.
These little off-the-ball moments spark conversations, memes, even headlines. And this one hit differently because both players are teammates for Team India. If there’s friction here, it could spill over into the national dressing room.
Now, to be fair, no one said anything on record. But body language spoke louder.
After Gill’s early dismissal for just 1 run by Trent Boult, Hardik celebrated a bit harder than usual. Then, as Gill walked past him on the field, Pandya didn’t even make eye contact. He turned his head. Again—caught on camera, shared online, picked apart by fans and experts.
This is exactly why Shubman Gill doesn’t deserve the captaincy
The sheer audacity to ignore Hardik’s gesture and not even shake hands despite Hardik making the first move.pic.twitter.com/dxwWfm2nl9
— Abhinav MSDian™ (@Abhinav_hariom) May 31, 2025
Even the commentators chimed in.
“Is this the start of a mini rivalry?” one of them asked.
Well, maybe. Or maybe it’s just cricket heat under playoff pressure. But this wasn’t a one-off. Just before the toss, they had posed together for photos. Then came the handshake snub. Then the walk-past. That’s a pattern.
Let’s not forget: Pandya was Gujarat Titans’ leader till last season. Now he’s leading MI again, while Gill is captain of GT. Power shift? Possibly. Ego clash? Probably. Friendly fire? Definitely doesn’t look like it.
The fans noticed. The cameras noticed. And if this keeps up, future India games might get extra interesting.
So what’s next?
Nothing official. No press statements. Just awkward silences, icy glances, and fans playing detective. But one thing’s certain—this subplot has legs. And with both stars locked in for the long haul, this could be the IPL’s next great rivalry.
Or, as cricket often reminds us—maybe it was just a bad day at the office.
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