Gujarat Titans captain Shubman Gill, right, talks with Gujarat Titans’ Mohammed Siraj (AP Photo/Manish Swaroop)
Gujarat Titans’ loss to Royal Challengers Bengaluru was not simply about failing to defend a large number of 205 at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. The result quickly became a talking point over driving decisions, especially as GT managed to bring the game back to a situation where one decisive bowling move could extend the chase to a tense end.In most of the innings, RCB looked comfortable. Virat Kohli’s mastery 81 off 44 balls and Devdutt Padikkal’s pace 55 off 27 ensured control at the top. However, Gujarat clawed their way back once the batsmen departed. At 173 for 5 in the 16th over, the equation reached 33 required off 27 balls. With the main hitters gone, the competition opened up again.
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The turning point came in how Shubman Gill managed his bowling resources. Mohammed Siraj delivered three overs for 25 and picked up a wicket, making him GT’s most reliable pace option on the night. However, his ultimate was not used during the main phase. Instead, Manav Suthar was introduced on the 18th over
Krunal Pandya
This gamble proved costly as 15 rounds were lost. The equation quickly shrunk to just seven required from two overs, effectively ending the competition.Virender Sehwag
speaking on Cricbuzz, publicly questioned the call. “When 22-25 runs were needed off the last three overs, and if Mohammed Siraj had come at that point and got a wicket, maybe 20 runs would have been needed off the last two overs, and who knows what would have happened from there. They could have at least taken the game to the last over,” Sehwag said. The match didn’t last until the end.”His criticism went beyond that song. He pointed to a wider reluctance from GT to trust their main bowlers after they had been expensive earlier.
Prasidh Krishna
,
Rashid Khan
and
Kagiso Rabada
He conceded all the kicks, but Sehwag felt that at a stadium like Chinnaswamy’s, the captains still have to rely on their attacking options in crucial moments.
“I think the calculations were a bit wrong from the captain there. Well, Prasidh Krishna and Rashid Khan were beaten for runs, but the captain’s job is to get them back into the attack. If you think you can’t use a bowler because he conceded 31 runs from two overs, then you have lost courage, right? It means you have given up. I think that was the mistake there,” he added.Tactical mismatches also played a role. Krunal Pandya, being a left-hander, was able to adjust the spin of Suthar’s left arm, and once that distance was crossed, any lingering pressure disappeared.
Gill later suggested that GT had noticed some control over the slower deliveries earlier and thought the spin might lead to a breakthrough. But that plan did not succeed, especially when Siraj’s control and extremism seemed more appropriate for that stage.Beyond the result, this defeat highlights a recurring worry for the Gujarat Titans. Their death execution has been inconsistent this season, and another game fell behind despite them briefly regaining control. For Gill, who is still developing as a captain in the Indian Premier League, the night underscored how important timing and confidence in key players are. The scoreboard showed a comfortable chase at the end, but the decisive moment came much earlier.