Gujarat Titans head coach Ashish Nehra was seen visibly frustrated in the dugout during the closing phase of Lucknow Super Giants’ innings in their IPL 2026 clash on Sunday. A clip showing him lashing out while LSG were at 157/7 quickly spread online, with Nehra appearing to urge skipper Shubman Gill to rethink something for the final balls. In the heat of the moment, he was also captured pushing substitute Kulwant Khejroliya as he tried to deliver his message at speed—an incident that sparked extra attention given how forcefully it was carried out. Nehra’s protest, however, did coincide with a breakthrough: debutant George Linde was dismissed off the next delivery, and Gujarat went on to secure a comfortable win.
Key takeaways
- A viral dugout moment showed Gujarat coach Ashish Nehra gesturing aggressively during LSG’s innings while they were on 157/7.
- Nehra was filmed pushing substitute Kulwant Khejroliya to get his instruction across to captain Shubman Gill.
- The message seemed to pay off immediately, with debutant George Linde getting out on the very next ball.
- Gujarat Titans beat Lucknow Super Giants by seven wickets at the Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow.
- Prasidh Krishna’s spell of 4/24 restricted LSG to 164/8, setting up a successful chase of 165.
- Shubman Gill (56) and Jos Buttler (60) powered the run chase to finish with eight balls remaining.
Nehra’s dugout outburst and the quick turnaround
During the final over of Lucknow Super Giants’ innings, Nehra appeared to be upset about an issue in the game plan and wanted changes for the remaining deliveries. The former pace bowler’s frustration was caught on camera, and in an attempt to communicate quickly, he was seen pushing substitute Kulwant Khejroliya, apparently to relay his instruction to Shubman Gill as soon as possible.
That episode did not last long. Nehra’s tactical adjustment—whatever the exact cue was—produced results almost immediately, as Linde was dismissed on the next ball.
The Linde wicket
Ashok Sharma sent down a slower full toss aimed down the leg side to George Linde. Linde misread the ball and ended up striking it poorly, skimming the volley straight towards long-off. Shahrukh Khan stationed there completed a sharp catch by diving forward to take it cleanly, removing the debutant.
Gujarat’s bowling impact and the chase led by Gill and Buttler
For Nehra’s Gujarat, the day turned out to be a productive one. The Titans went on to beat Lucknow Super Giants by seven wickets at the Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow, registering their second win in a row.
The victory was built on a strong bowling display spearheaded by Prasidh Krishna, complemented by composed batting contributions from captain Shubman Gill and Jos Buttler. Krishna was particularly effective, finishing with figures of 4 for 24, as Gujarat kept LSG to 164 for eight.
In response, the chase was handled with authority. Gujarat reached the target of 165 for three, with Gill scoring 56 and Buttler contributing 60. They required only eight balls to finish the job once the two batters took control, turning the chase into a steady march.
Key partnership and back-to-back momentum
Buttler and Gill put on 85 runs for the second wicket off 58 balls, shifting the pressure firmly onto the opposition bowling unit. Both batters also marked their second half-century in as many matches, helping Gujarat seal consecutive wins and consolidate their position in the tournament.
