Confidence in Bowling Strategy
The Gujarat Titans (GT) are showing strong confidence in their bowling attack as they prepare to face the Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 Qualifier 2. The match will take place at the New PCA Stadium in New Chandigarh on Friday, with assistant coach Parthiv Patel expressing belief in the team’s plans to counter the young talent of Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.
Sooryavanshi, a teenage sensation, has been making waves in the cricketing world with his impressive performances. His upcoming match against GT’s new ball pair of Mohammed Siraj and Kagiso Rabada is expected to be one of the key subplots of the game. This clash could play a significant role in determining which team advances to face the Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the title match at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday.
Focus on Execution
Patel emphasized that while he cannot reveal specific strategies due to his current role, the team is confident in its approach. “It feels really good about the way he is batting. Hopefully, we will try to get him out early in the game,” he said during the pre-match press conference. Patel also highlighted the importance of analyzing videos of Sooryavanshi’s performances to understand his strengths and weaknesses.
He further added, “We have seen the videos, and we are ready to execute our plans. What it is, we will be able to tell you when we are on the ground.” Patel stressed the need to move past discussions about Sooryavanshi’s age and instead focus on his exceptional talent. “He has been a phenomenal talent, just the way he has been playing, and it’s great to see,” he said.
Overcoming Previous Defeats
The team is also looking to bounce back from a tough loss in Qualifier 1, where they were overwhelmed by the Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Patel acknowledged the defeat but remained optimistic. “There is nothing to bring from the last match, and that is better. That was not a good match for us,” he said. However, he praised the performance of Rahul Tewatia, who spent a significant amount of time in the middle, contributing positively to the team’s efforts.
Patel also addressed concerns about the middle order, stating that Tewatia’s performance was a positive sign. “Otherwise, in the play-off games, whether it is Rajasthan or us, you have to leave that game behind and try to look forward,” he added.
Strike Rate and Team Philosophy
Regarding the team’s leading run-getter, B Sai Sudarshan, Patel defended his strike rate. “No, I don’t think there is any kind of temptation to tell Sai Sudarshan to go with a higher strike rate. He has been very effective. He has been scoring at a fair strike rate, also,” Patel explained. He emphasized that there is no pressure to increase the strike rate beyond what is necessary for effectiveness.
“Obviously, if someone is scoring at 300, it doesn’t mean that everyone has to strike at 300. But he has been very effective. He has given us results. So there is no talk about telling Sai Sudarshan that you need to go higher than 170 strike rate or 200,” Patel concluded.
Addressing Criticism
Patel also dismissed criticism of GT’s style of play, pointing out that the team finished second in the points table. “We were sitting pretty at number 2 in the points table. I know other teams can think whatever they want to think. Six teams have not qualified,” he said. He referenced comments from Tom Moody, who had criticized GT for being a set pattern team, but Patel remained confident in the team’s process.
“We were just doing okay, but we still stuck to our process. We trust in our ability, and we know what we can do, and that is something which we will try to do tomorrow as well. We feel that we are a very good unit, and if we go out there and execute our plans, I think we can win that game,” he concluded.
