Ahmedabad saw a chase that looked scripted for Gujarat Titans for long spells—right up until the first sign of fortune arrived. Captain Shubman Gill credited that early reprieve for setting the tone, and he went on to steer the Gujarat chase to a four-wicket victory over Royal Challengers Bengaluru on Thursday night.
Gill’s decisive chase and the early lucky break
After the match, Gill said the feeling was “very satisfying”, pointing out how difficult it can be to keep a strong side under control on a wicket like that. With Royal Challengers Bengaluru restricted to 155, Gill felt the Titans had done the job in their chase.
Gill ended with 43 off just 18 balls and explained how the innings turned in his favour early. He noted that the first ball he faced brought a bit of luck, and once he felt settled, he believed the day belonged to him. Gill also described his mindset as being “in the zone”, adding that he felt confident about taking on the bowling.
Powerplay pressure, momentum, and the finishing roles
The “lucky” moment came at the start of the chase when Gill benefited from an inside edge that raced away to the boundary off Bhuvneshwar Kumar. From there, he accelerated quickly, using an aggressive approach in the powerplay to keep RCB under constant pressure.
Gill reflected on the tempo inside the powerplay, saying the energy rose after the second over and that he was simply reading the situation well. His intent, together with timely contributions from Jos Buttler and calm late control from Rahul Tewatia, meant Gujarat stayed ahead even after a brief wobble in the middle overs.
- Gill described the powerplay as high-energy and said he felt he was “in the zone” after the second over.
- Jos Buttler provided brisk support during the chase.
- Rahul Tewatia’s late composure helped Gujarat hold their advantage after a short middle-over disruption.
Gujarat’s team message: trust in Tewatia
Gill singled out Tewatia as a key piece of the Titans’ batting plan, saying the importance of his role was discussed during a timeout. He credited Tewatia for getting runs at the right time and noted that the innings rhythm improved as the middle overs progressed.
Rajat Patidar’s take: pressure in the powerplay, positives in the bowling
On the other side, RCB captain Rajat Patidar acknowledged that while the total of 155 was not enough on the surface, the way Gill attacked—especially early—created the decisive pressure. Patidar felt that the Titans’ captain took the game away by forcing RCB into a chase they couldn’t comfortably manage.
Patidar also highlighted that, despite the loss, there were positives in how RCB stretched the contest. He believed that taking the game through roughly the 15th to 16th over stretch was a sign of their bowling discipline, and he pointed to healthy grass cover that supported the fast bowlers.
- Patidar said Gill’s powerplay batting put RCB under pressure and swung momentum.
- He viewed pushing the chase to 15–16 overs as a positive outcome for RCB’s bowling effort.
- He credited good grass cover for helping the fast bowlers.
Where RCB fell short and what’s next
Patidar also identified improvement areas, admitting that RCB gave away too many wickets in the middle overs, leaving them constantly on the back foot. With that lesson clear, RCB will look to tighten their middle-overs execution as Gujarat Titans continue to surge ahead.
