Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s top order attacked Kagiso Rabada and Mohammed Siraj during Qualifier 1 of IPL 2026 on Tuesday, and the Gujarat Titans suffered as the innings unravelled. The two GT fast bowlers combined for figures of 7-0-100-2, with Rabada taking both wickets between them. Ambati Rayudu argued that the Titans’ approach becomes a problem when conditions don’t suit their style, while the wider view was that GT are “the bowling version of SRH”—a side that can find it difficult to score when the surface turns testing.
Why GT’s bowling can look predictable
Tom Moody, the Lucknow Super Giants’ global cricket director, pointed to a lack of extreme variation when the pitch offers no help. In his view, once the ball is not moving much off the deck, it becomes easier for batters to read the lengths and the effort loses its sharp edge. He compared the situation to Sunrisers Hyderabad, suggesting that when a track starts doing a little, that batting unit often struggles to adapt.
Moody added that a flat, unhelpful surface can turn the contest into a “tough examination” for the batting side because Siraj and Rabada are capable of getting it to nip or swing. He said the Titans do not always have answers in terms of major pace changes, deception, or a signature slow-ball threat—something like a Lungi Ngidi slower ball that forces batters into early decisions. Even when those tools exist, his argument was that they are not always deployed as the decisive trump option.
In contrast, Moody maintained that GT’s real advantage arrives when the conditions offer assistance and they can hammer a hard length, creating pressure both inside the line and outside the bat. That balance—length plus movement—is what can make their spells difficult to negotiate.
However, that scenario never materialised in Dharamsala, where doubts have lingered over GT’s ability away from Ahmedabad. The Titans have built a reputation as a fortress at home, with venues there that tend to play into their strengths.
Rayudu on GT’s “plan B”
Rayudu said the matchup is clearer than it may look on paper. When batters know what to expect—especially quality top-order players who can prepare for a specific bowling pattern—they can shape their game around it. He also stressed that even the best side can be outplayed on a particular day, and the key question becomes how the bowling unit responds when its usual tools do not land cleanly.
He argued that GT do not consistently lean on strong slower-ball options, and that they do not always bowl up top in a defensive manner that can be used to control the game. On surfaces that are very, very good for batting, Rayudu suggested teams may need to go into a defensive mode after taking a wicket, then switch back to attack. His conclusion was blunt: either GT keep full command of the contest, or they risk losing it.
On the night, the result reflected that gap. RCB struck 76 runs in the powerplay, setting a tone that GT could not reverse. Venkatesh Iyer scored at 271.42 in that phase, Devdutt Padikkal at 209.09, and Virat Kohli at 188.88. After that blistering start, the damage deepened further when Rajat Patidar finished with 93 not out off 33 balls.
With all of this in mind, the question of whether GT made the wrong call by choosing to field after winning the toss resurfaced. For the record, teams chasing had won both of the games in Dharamsala earlier in the season.
Rayudu said he had raised that idea even before the match. He claimed that when he was asked what offered GT their best chance, his response was that they should have lost the toss. His reasoning was that sides with defined limitations have to play inside those limits rather than trying to overreach simply because it is a playoff.
He added that the safer route is to keep things simple, then let the bowling unit—the strongest part of the group—go out and defend. Rayudu argued that even totals around 200, or possibly 190 or 180, can still put a team in a strong position if they keep control of the game and avoid taking unnecessary risks.
Rayudu also referenced a lesson from his playing days with Mumbai Indians. He said Ricky Ponting used to tell the team, “under pressure, win the toss and bat,” pointing to how the Australian approach often puts runs on the board. Rayudu finished by framing it as a matter of doing what you do best: if the batting punch is not landing, then you should choose the method that gives you the best chance to succeed.
