Shubman Gill and his Gujarat Titans side faced yet another defeat in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season. The Titans struggled against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru, who dominated with the bat to chase down a formidable total of 206 runs with five wickets remaining. Former Indian cricketing legend Virender Sehwag expressed his disappointment with the captain’s bowling decisions during the match.
Speaking to Cricbuzz, the 47-year-old former batter commented, “When the team needed 22-25 runs off the last three overs, if Mohammed Siraj had been brought into the attack at that point and taken a wicket, it could have reduced the target to 20 runs off two overs. Who knows what might have happened from there. At the very least, the game could have gone to the final over. Instead, the match didn’t even reach that stage.”
Sehwag also addressed Gill’s leadership on the field, stating, “I think the calculations made by the captain were slightly off. It’s fine that Prasidh Krishna and Rashid Khan conceded runs, but it’s the captain’s responsibility to bring them back into the attack. If you decide not to use a bowler because he has given away 31 runs in two overs, then you’ve lost your courage. That means you’ve already given up. I believe that was the mistake made here.”
Sai Sudharsan’s century: A standout performance for the visitors
Rajat Patidar won the toss and opted to bowl first on a pitch that favored batting. Sai Sudharsan emerged as the standout performer for the visiting team. The 24-year-old scored his third IPL century, reaching 100 runs off 58 balls. His innings included 11 boundaries and five sixes, showcasing his ability to dominate the opposition.
Gill contributed 32 runs with the bat, while Jos Buttler provided a quickfire 25 runs off 16 balls to maintain momentum. Jason Holder, making his debut for the season, used the long handle effectively, scoring 23 runs off just 10 balls to help the team post a total of 205 runs.
Chennai Super Kings set to challenge the IPL 2022 winners
The next match for the Ahmedabad-based franchise will be against Chennai Super Kings on Sunday. The five-time champions, led by Ruturaj Gaikwad, are riding high after securing a convincing victory over Mumbai Indians.
For the Gujarat Titans, this loss marks their second consecutive defeat following a heavy home loss to Mumbai Indians by 99 runs. Another loss could raise serious concerns for a team currently sitting in seventh place in the league table.
