Cheteshwar Pujara heaped praise on Jason Holder after Gujarat Titans (GT) pulled off a four-wicket victory over table-toppers Punjab Kings (PBKS) in their IPL 2026 match at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Sunday night. The former India batter, speaking on Star Sports, pointed to Holder’s impact as a genuine game-changer, stressing that the West Indies all-rounder delivered with both bat and ball in a high-pressure chase.
What Pujara said about Holder
Pujara said Holder’s influence has been visible in every department, describing his performances as impressive for how he shifts the momentum of matches. He specifically referenced Holder’s role in taking crucial wickets, including the dismissal of Shreyas Iyer, and noted that his overall presence has helped the team raise its level.
The former India batter also underlined Holder’s usefulness in the batting order, particularly in settling any uncertainty in GT’s middle overs. Pujara highlighted that Holder can bat at No. 5, 6, or 7, giving the franchise flexibility that improves balance and stability as the innings develops.
How the match unfolded at Ahmedabad
- PBKS set the tone by posting 163/9 after a recovery from an early wobble, building a 79-run stand between Suryansh Shedge (57) and Marcus Stoinis (40).
- Jason Holder then struck with the ball, finishing with figures of 4/24 in his spell to help restrict PBKS to 163/9.
- GT began their reply and still managed to chase the target of 164 despite losing early wickets.
- Sai Sudharsan played the anchor role, scoring 57 to keep the chase on track, while Washington Sundar closed the innings unbeaten on 40.
- GT completed the chase in 19.5 overs, finishing the job with a six to secure a four-wicket win.
The result saw GT move to sixth place with 12 points, while PBKS remained first on the table with 13 points.
Holder’s Player of the Match moment
Holder was named Player of the Match for his match-defining bowling, delivering 4/24 from four overs. His wickets included PBKS skipper Shreyas Iyer, Nehal Wadhera, Marcus Stoinis, and Xavier Bartlett.
