Kagiso Rabada and Mohamed Siraj (ANI photo)
For the first time in the history of the Indian Premier League, a bowling duo bowled at full strength of play – five consecutive overs during the GT vs SRH match in Ahmedabad on Tuesday. This shows how dangerous and lethal Mohammed Siraj and Kagiso Rabada can be in an IPL 2026 that was dominated by top-order batsmen. The duo has developed into the most prolific new-ball bowling duo in the league, with GT taking 25 wickets during the power play. They hit all 17.2 balls in the first 6 overs. Rabada’s 16 wickets at this point are the joint second most by a bowler in an IPL season.
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On a wicket tailor-made for Ahmedabad’s tall fast bowlers, Rabada and Siraj consistently hit difficult lengths and tore apart the SRH batting line-up. At the end of the show of strength, their score was 34 to 4 with Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head and
Ishan Kishan
Back in the dugout early. GT players bowled on good, back-of-the-length areas 84.3% of the time in the Powerplay, the highest in the league among all teams. In the face of the destructive top order of sexual and reproductive health, the same skill set has reaped rewards. Siraj opened the first ball with a single swing wide off, then another of good length, and on the fourth ball, he swung one into the pads of the header, who could only manage the top edge into the hands of Nishant Sindhu at deep backward point.
A maiden wicket from Siraj set the tone, as did Kagiso Rabada’s template to test Abhishek Sharma of the same length at second. Rabada delivered the first ball in front, and Sharma lofted it for six over long-on.
But in the second over, the South African was back to his usual length, and off the fourth delivery, Abhishek was crammed into space from behind despite moving off the stumps and pulling the ball to the wicket. Rabada then went on to get Ishan Kishan out in his next over off another long delivery, which, after bowling, moved away from the SRH wicket-keeper, who could only chase it down and advance towards it.
Jos Butler
Behind the trunks. At the end of the power play, SRH were reeling with four wickets chasing 169 thanks to Siraj and Rabada’s stellar spell in the lead. GT’s success this season has been entirely driven by their bowling attack.
In eight wins, the team’s players have been awarded Player of the Match seven times. The common thread is simple: the bowlers are able to hit the much-talked about “Test match length” relentlessly, hitting mainly the good length and backfield areas – something that is extremely difficult in a T20 environment. Rabada and Siraj, with their great skill and pace, continued their plans and proved that good Test bowling in T20s can get wickets.
In the seven matches that GT won, the duo took 21 wickets at an average of 14.85.GT has been one of the few sides to have built its identity around bowlers even after the reign of the influential bowler. With their bowlers spearheading Gujarat Titans’ rise in the second half of the season, it has not only taken them to the top spot in the IPL 2026 points table but has put them firmly on track for a top two finish as well.