After being handed a heavy 92-run loss in Qualifier 1, Gujarat Titans captain Shubman Gill pointed to their inability to execute in the field as the key issue. Gill said their “ground fielding was not up to the mark,” highlighting that the side let slip multiple chances during Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s innings. In particular, GT’s errors came at crucial moments after they chose to bowl first, including a dropped opportunity that turned into a missed run-out chance. The most damaging lapse arrived in the 14th over when Kagiso Rabada failed to hold a catch of Rajat Patidar off Prasidh Krishna, with Patidar then on 21 from 13 deliveries.
Bengaluru had reached 140 for 3 at the end of 14 overs, a competitive position on what was described as a high-scoring surface in Dharamsala. From there, Patidar ignited a late acceleration, taking charge as RCB piled on 114 runs in the final six overs. Patidar ultimately struck a match-changing innings, finishing unbeaten on 93 off just 33 balls. Speaking after the result, Gill reflected on the momentum swing: “I think we were going pretty well up until the 12th, 13th over, you know. And I don’t think our fielding was at par, dropping a couple of catches and then our ground fielding was not up to the mark.”
Gujarat’s batting also struggled to gain traction, with the team losing half their lineup during the powerplay and slipping to 51 for 5. The chase unraveled further as they were reduced to 88 for 8, leaving them with too much to do late on. Rahul Tewatia provided some late resistance with a half-century, lifting GT to 162, but they were eventually bowled out in the final over, unable to turn the fight into a successful chase. Gill again linked the setback to performance under pressure, saying, “Under pressure situations, we were not up to the mark.” He added that the conditions in Dharamsala offered scoring opportunities, noting that when the ball is moving and the outfield is quick, the start becomes even more important: “If you get a good powerplay and on a ground like this, you know, we know the ball travels and the outfield is also very quick… So, if you would have gotten off to a good start in the powerplay, you know, any target with the kind of way the wicket was playing and the kind of ground that we were playing at, it could have been chaseable.”
Despite the defeat, GT still have a route to the final. They will play Qualifier 2 on May 29, where they will face the winner of the Eliminator—either Sunrisers Hyderabad or Rajasthan Royals—set to be contested in New Chandigarh.
