[Watch] GT players take a lap of honor in rain after final IPL 2024 home match is washed out

Gujarat Titans (GT) were set to take on Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Monday, May 13, which would have been their final home match of the season. However, the match was abandoned due to rain, with both teams taking home one point each.

After the game was washed out, GT were officially eliminated from the tournament. But Shubman Gill and company expressed gratitude towards their home fans by taking a lap of honor after the match was called off.

Despite the drizzle, all the GT players walked near the boundary rope, thanking their fans for their unwavering support throughout their campaign. There were also some fireworks and a message of "Thank you Ahmedabad" was displayed on the big screen.

You can watch the video of GT's lap of honor below:

Gujarat needed back-to-back victories to remain in the hunt for a spot in the all-important playoffs. However, their campaign ended in a heartbreak courtesy of the rain-marred clash against KKR.

With just five wins and one no result from 13 matches, the 2022 champions are currently languishing at eighth spot in the points table.

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"His group of men trust and respect him" - Matthew Hayden on Shubman Gill's captaincy stint with GT

With former skipper Hardik Pandya traded to Mumbai Indians (MI) ahead of IPL 2024, Gujarat needed a new captain. The team management backed Shubman Gill for the role over experienced campaigners like Rashid Khan and Kane Williamson.

Despite GT failing to qualify for the playoffs for the first time in their three-year IPL history, former Australian opener Matthew Hayden opined that the franchise made the right call by handing the leadership position to Gill.

Hayden told Star Sports about Gill's captaincy:

"I believe anything that Shubman Gill should do to improve himself as a leader (he should). Steve Waugh once said this to us as a group: 'Don't wait for me to be a leader. Be your own leaders on the field and off the field. And you will go back to your respective states, your franchises. And then, ultimately, when you come to me as your national captain, you will come in and make my job easier'.

"I am a big believer in trying to bite off more than you can chew. He has got a strong support base around him that can keep him somewhere near planet earth when the elations come. They have come thick and fast. They are already here. His group of men trust and respect him. I am sure if he can find ways to learn -- there are some parts of his batting that he will work out different strategies moving forward," he added.

Hayden pointed out that Gill was still very young and it was important to give him captaincy at this stage of his career. Hailing the talented batter as a natural leader, he said:

"We all forget how young he is. As the baby of the next generation, he has got to have leadership. It's got to be part of his equation. I think he is a natural leader, whether he likes it or not. He is a calm leader. If he can pull all those things together, I am sure he has got a bright future."

GT's last league match of the season will be against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on Thursday, May 16.