Former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin believes Gujarat Titans could never have beaten Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the IPL 2026 contest at M Chinnaswamy Stadium. GT looked solid at the start after Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan stitched together a 128-run opening stand, but the innings failed to accelerate late on, leaving the visitors with 205/3. RCB then chased the target comfortably, finishing with seven balls remaining as Virat Kohli struck 81 off 44 and Devdutt Padikkal contributed 57.
Key takeaways
- Ashwin said GT’s batting approach lacks anything “extraordinary,” yet their bowling can still pressure rivals.
- He argued Rashid Khan’s dip in form has affected GT’s overall consistency in recent games.
- Ashwin suggested Rashid has been less effective as his action appears not to be fully completing, often seen when players return from injury.
- He claimed GT do not have the batting firepower to regularly reach totals beyond 220.
- RCB’s chase was driven by Kohli’s 81 off 44 and Padikkal’s 57, with RCB winning with seven balls to spare.
- With the victory, RCB climbed to the second position on the points table, collecting 10 points from seven matches.
Ashwin’s view on GT’s “template” and the pressure created by bowling
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Ash Ki Baat, Ashwin said GT’s blueprint tends to stay the same—nothing flashy, but the side finds ways to apply pressure through its bowling unit. He pointed out that when Gujarat won the title with Hardik Pandya, the attack had a key champion bowler in Rashid Khan, and he felt opponents have become cautious in how they go after Rashid now.
In Ashwin’s assessment, the present challenge for GT is that they are not always able to sustain the same edge consistently, especially with Rashid’s current trajectory.
Why Rashid’s form and action are central to Ashwin’s argument
Ashwin focused on Rashid Khan’s finishing ability and the “whip” generated during his action. He said the mystery element in Rashid’s bowling has reduced since arm speed has slowed, adding that Rashid still bowls aggressively and rarely operates in a purely defensive mode. Ashwin concluded that these factors, along with limitations he sees in GT’s overall gameplay, help explain why the Titans struggled to get the better of RCB.
He also made a specific point about Rashid’s action not being fully completed. Ashwin said this can naturally occur when a player is returning from injury, and he noted that the season started well for Rashid, with the action running smoothly. However, he claimed that in the last two or three matches, Rashid’s actions have not been finishing properly.
According to Ashwin, such issues can happen when a bowler has a sore back or is coming back after surgery, particularly if the required strength is not fully back yet.
GT’s batting ceiling and why Ashwin expected a lower total
On the Titans’ batting, Ashwin suggested they were not in a slump, but he believes the squad does not have the resources to routinely post 220-plus totals. He said that if GT end up around 15–20 runs short, it would not surprise him, and he had expected them to land in the 190–195 range rather than pushing far beyond that.
Ashwin added that GT were able to move toward that window, but the late over ultimately included a few damaging shots—attributed to Jason Holder off the spinner—helping them reach 205/3 instead of an even lower mark.
Match outcome: RCB chase down 205/3 to move up the table
After GT posted 205/3, RCB successfully chased the target with seven balls to spare. Virat Kohli earned Player of the Match honours for his 81-run knock off 44 deliveries, supported by Devdutt Padikkal’s 57. The win helped RCB rise to second place in the points table, finishing the day with 10 points from seven matches.
