Sai Sudharsen and Shubman Gill (Image: IPL)
Gujarat Titans’ season has been all about the opening duo of Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan, and now former India pacer Irfan Pathan has joined the growing list of admirers of the duo.The duo once again showed their brilliance in Qualifier 2 against Rajasthan Royals, as they put together a match-winning opening stand of 167 runs while chasing a challenging target of 215. Gill led the attack with 104 off 53 balls, while Sudharsen provided explosive support with 58 off just 32 deliveries. Their partnership fully absorbed the pressure of the knockout competition and effectively settled the result long before the final was over.Both batsmen have crossed the 700-run mark this season, with Gill currently sitting second in the Orange Cap standings with 722 runs, while Sudharsan is close behind with 710 runs.
Speaking on JioStar, Irfan Pathan hailed Gill and Sudharsen as the greatest opening duo in IPL history.“Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan are the best batting duo in the history of TATA IPL. They hold the record for the most 100-run partnerships and 50-plus partnerships in the tournament.
In T20 cricket, if you want a strong start, you want both at the top. They complement each other perfectly. One spins the stroke and the other finds the boundary. “Their understanding is great,” said Irfan Pathan at JioStar.Pathan also highlighted how the duo punished Rajasthan Royals’ bowling plans in the second qualifier.“If bowlers try short pitch deliveries, they actually enjoy it. They are willing to play the cut shot and punish anything short.”
And that’s exactly what Nandre Berger and Jofra Archer did. They bowled the ball quickly, and Gill and Sudharsen were waiting. Even when Yash Raj Punja came into the attack, he bowled slightly shorter lengths. Shubman Gill is not afraid to use his feet against fast bowlers and spinners. “He comes out, creates space and hits the top,” he added.
According to Pathan, the 167-run stand proved to be the defining moment of the match – “The opening partnership of 167 runs in just 77 balls was where Rajasthan Royals lost the match.
“This situation took the chase away from them completely.”Its consistency is nothing new. Last season, despite the Gujarat Titans Eliminator’s defeat to Mumbai Indians, Gill and Sudharsan combined for 912 runs in 15 innings, the highest partnership total in IPL 2025. Sudharsan also finished that campaign as the Orange Cap winner. This season, the pair have already combined for 886 points in 15 rounds and need only 27 more rounds in the final to surpass their own record.
