Gujarat Titans registered a comprehensive 82-run win over Sunrisers Hyderabad to go top of the TATA IPL 2026 points table as the Race to the Playoffs heats up. Cheteshwar Pujara analysed Kagiso Rabada’s bowling performance, while Mohammad Kaif praised Sai Sudharsan’s knock and explained how Varun Chakaravarthy’s absence could impact KKR ahead of their match against RCB.
Cheteshwar Pujara highlighted how Kagiso Rabada outsmarted Abhishek Sharma:
“Abhishek Sharma tried to create room on that delivery where he got dismissed, which batters often do when the ball is quick and bouncing. But credit to Kagiso Rabada. He read Abhishek’s movement. Originally, Rabada was bowling outside the fourth stump line. When Abhishek shuffled across early, Rabada adjusted his line. He followed the batter and cramped him for room. The result was an inside edge onto the stumps. That was high-quality bowling. The ball also hit Abhishek’s glove before taking the inside edge of his bat, which shows the ball bounced more than expected. There was a bit of extra zip off the wicket as well.”
Mohammad Kaif praised Sai Sudharsan’s batting:
“On this kind of a sticky wicket, you need a batter with good technique, and Sai Sudharsan brings that to the table. When GT lost a couple of early wickets, Sai knew he needed to play that anchor role. He took the game deep and made batting look easy on a track where it wasn’t. That is the beauty of his batting. That is what he has done over the years for Gujarat Titans. In this match, he took his chances against the bowlers. Whenever he felt he was short of runs, he found a boundary somewhere or the other and made sure the scoreboard kept ticking.”
On why SRH need to win their next match against CSK:
“CSK away from home will be a tough test for SRH. Adapting to different conditions is key in this tournament, and SRH failed to do that against Gujarat. That could be a talking point in their dressing room. No panic yet, but it’s something they need to address. They finish at home against Punjab, where they are comfortable and know the conditions. But if they want to push for a top two finish, they need to win away against Chennai. CSK are looking good right now. So, SRH have a tough road ahead in their last two games.”
On Gujarat Titans’ chances of qualifying:
“I think Gujarat Titans will qualify; that’s clear. But Kolkata Knight Riders, who play GT next, have only played ten games and are in good form. Don’t write them or CSK off either. The next few days will give us a clearer picture of the top four. Gujarat should go through, but the second, third, and fourth spots are hard to call. There is still plenty of cricket left. No team in that group can feel safe right now.”
On the impact of Varun Chakaravarthy’s absence against RCB:
“If Varun Chakaravarthy is not available, then it is a big plus for RCB. He has come back into form recently. He was doing well and hitting the right areas. Virat Kohli is someone who loves to play against faster spin bowlers. KKR will be hoping that Varun is 100 per cent fit because their template over the years has been to play with two fast bowlers, one all-rounder, and three spinners. Anukul Roy is doing a wonderful job for them in the Powerplay. That gives them the cushion of using Sunil Narine a little later so that he can control the middle over phase.”
