Gujarat Titans skipper Shubman Gill said he injured his ankle while batting, but insisted he was able to steady himself after a short spell of discomfort to steer his side to a commanding 77-run win over Rajasthan Royals in an IPL encounter at Jaipur.
Gill’s ankle scare and the Titans’ big total
- Gill explained that during his innings he “twisted” his ankle slightly while running between the wickets, describing it as painful.
- He said the issue eased after about half an hour, allowing him to continue and complete a knock of 84 from 44 balls.
- The innings featured nine fours and three sixes, with Gill balancing timing and clean strokeplay even as he briefly struggled with discomfort in his left foot.
- It was his fourth fifty of the season, and he underlined how the innings helped set the tone for Gujarat’s batting effort.
- After being asked to bat first, Gill and Sudharsan put on a dominant 118-run opening partnership, with Sudharsan contributing 55 off 36 deliveries.
- With that platform in place, Gujarat reached 229 for 4, giving Rajasthan a steep target of 230.
In the chase, Rajasthan Royals were dismissed for 152 in 16.3 overs. Veteran leg-spinner Rashid Khan led the comeback with figures of 4/33, while Jason Holder returned figures of 3/12 to help wrap up the innings well inside the required overs.
Reactions after the win
At the post-match presentation, Gill described the victory as close to ideal for Gujarat and pointed to the importance of getting early breakthroughs.
“Very happy (for the win). Next game is at home and hopefully we will have another good match,” he said, adding that the match felt cleaner than what his team had managed previously.
Gill also noted that Gujarat benefited from scoring “10-15 extra” runs, and he highlighted the challenge of finding boundaries and sixes against spin.
He emphasised how the game plan hinged on the powerplay: “Always knew if we got a couple of wickets in the powerplay, we would have a good game.”
Speaking about the early overs, Gill credited pacers Mohammed Siraj and Kagiso Rabada for bowling three each in the powerplay and said holding the front end was crucial.
“We believe it is important to hold fort up front. If we take wickets, it gives the bowlers more chance to attack through the middle,” Gill said, before adding: “You have to keep taking wickets – there is no other way.”
Rashid Khan on enjoying his craft
Rashid Khan, named Player of the Match for his four-wicket haul, said this season has been about enjoying his work rather than chasing anything extra.
“Quite happy. It was something unusual for me (in last two seasons). This season, more about enjoying myself and hitting the right areas consistently. Happy with that (so far),” he said.
He also reflected on his return from surgery, explaining that he came back earlier than planned. “When I had that surgery, I took only two months to get back. That time, I made a huge mistake (of coming back soon). Last year, when IPL was over, I had 2-3 months off and tried to work on my fitness. The rhythm I bowl through the crease – it was something I was missing,” Rashid said.
He added that he felt he built momentum through practice and competitive opportunities, including a “Hundred” competition, which helped him regain rhythm and keep it going.
On what he sensed in the match against Rajasthan, Rashid said: “The moment I bowled the first ball, I knew there was something for me.” He explained that he tried to mix pace and keep the batters under pressure by targeting areas where leaving the ball would not be rewarding.
“Wanted to hit a length but also the line. I made that move in my mind – that if I pitch it in the right area, there will be help,” he said.
Rashid also touched on working with Indian spinners, calling it valuable due to long-standing relationships and regular conversations about bowling at different venues across India.
He added that modern T20 cricket requires more variation: “Modern cricket demands more variations. Sai Kishore is working hard on his variations and working hard on a wrong’un – looking forward to seeing it (in matches).”
Jaiswal and the Royals’ assessment
Rajasthan captain Yashasvi Jaiswal admitted that Gujarat’s batting was clearly stronger than his team’s display in that match-up.
“We were just thinking to bowl good areas, they batted well. We were just thinking of how to cut down boundaries, so it was pretty good from them,” Jaiswal said.
On Jofra Archer’s subdued performance, Jaiswal responded with a reminder that T20 bowling can swing quickly. “It is cricket. There are some days when you cannot bowl how you want. He has been doing well for us, and I think he will be coming back strongly,” he said.
Jaiswal concluded by saying the Royals would review the game and look for improvements: “We are going to look at what we can do better and learn from this game.”
