B Sai Sudharsan, who finished as Orange Cap winner in IPL 2025, has had a stop-start build-up to IPL 2026. After a solitary notable knock—73 off 44 balls against Rajasthan Royals—he finally found his rhythm on Friday, smashing a century for Gujarat Titans (GT) against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). GT, however, lost to RCB in a result that mirrored their defeat against RR, leaving questions about how the innings was paced as he headed toward the three-figure mark.
Sudharsan’s turn in the spotlight
The left-hander’s latest burst came after an earlier, quieter phase in the season. In the match versus RCB, he reached 100 off 58 balls, but his path to the milestone wasn’t a smooth acceleration.
- Earlier in IPL 2026, Sudharsan’s only innings of note was 73 from 44 balls against Rajasthan Royals.
- Against RCB, he struck his century in 58 deliveries.
- His overall strike rate for the knock was 172.41.
- He took 12 balls to move from 82 to 100, during the 13th to 15th overs.
- He was dismissed immediately after reaching the hundred.
- GT ultimately required support from the rest of the batting group after his exit.
GT’s batting support and the scoring tempo issue
With Sudharsan falling right after his century, the responsibility shifted to GT’s under-pressure middle order to keep the momentum going. While Sudharsan’s ability to find boundaries was evident, the tempo as he approached his landmark was viewed as a potential turning point.
- Jason Holder led the chase/innings effort with 23 not out off 10 balls.
- Jos Buttler and Washington Sundar also contributed, with both getting their runs at strike rates in the 150s.
- Bishop highlighted a specific concern: as Sudharsan neared the century, the lack of speed in the scoring rate may have played a role in GT’s downfall.
What Ian Bishop and Dale Steyn said on Sudharsan’s game
Former players Ian Bishop and Dale Steyn discussed Sudharsan’s innings in detail on ESPNcricinfo’s TimeOut show, with both praising his fundamentals while pointing to where GT needed more from the surrounding batters.
Ian Bishop: aggression, role clarity, and pace near the milestone
Bishop felt Sudharsan needed to lift his aggression levels, but believed he delivered the right kind of innings for large stretches.
- Bishop said Sudharsan was “outstanding” for a player who plays a largely orthodox style.
- He added that the hundred would be “very, very pleasing” for Sudharsan, the GT camp, and the IPL overall, noting that another century from him would continue the recent trend of frequent hundreds.
- Bishop acknowledged that if other players weren’t able to step up, Sudharsan at least “did his part.”
- On the tactical side, Bishop argued that as Sudharsan approached his century, the scoring speed dipped, which could have cost GT the match.
Bishop also placed Sudharsan within a specific batting framework, describing him as a batter with a defined job rather than someone who fits into every other “higher-risk” comparison.
- Bishop said Sudharsan has limitations and should not be grouped with hitters like Vaibhav Sooryavanshi or Abhishek Sharma.
- He suggested Sudharsan’s role is to play the orthodox cricket he does best, then take calculated risks when the situation demands.
- Bishop compared the hundred context, mentioning that Sudharsan made 100 off 58 balls, while Sanju Samson’s recent hundred came from 101 off 54 deliveries.
- He emphasised that the batting plan has to be shaped around Sudharsan’s game, and that partners such as Jos Buttler and Washington Sundar should be prepared to strike at roughly 160, 170 and above alongside him as his game “is improving.”
- Bishop concluded that team ethos may need to differ from some other line-ups around the league.
Dale Steyn: orthodox strokeplay with measured risk
Dale Steyn, on the same programme, called Sudharsan’s approach impressive for its calm decision-making rather than reckless hitting.
- Steyn said Sudharsan plays orthodox cricket and executes “good cricket shots” that come on merit.
- He pointed out that Sudharsan takes the ball on at the right moments and makes calculated risks instead of swinging blindly for maximum impact.
- Steyn likened the style to the way Sanju Samson built his hundred the other night.
- He added that Sudharsan knows exactly where he wants to score his runs and then “put on a show.”
GT’s century and the wider match narrative
While Sudharsan’s innings provided a major highlight—his Orange Cap pedigree backed by a 100-ball milestone performance—the bigger storyline remained GT’s inability to convert that progress into a win. As GT had also lost to Rajasthan Royals earlier, the defeat to RCB reinforced the team’s pattern of falling short despite meaningful contributions from key batters.
In the end, the debate around Sudharsan was not about his ability to reach three figures, but about how the innings was paced as he neared 100—and whether the rest of the order, including the middle order and the finishers, were able to seize the initiative once he fell.
