Mohammed Siraj and Kagiso Rabada have done something no pair has managed across the first phase of play in the IPL: for five straight matches, the Gujarat Titans (GT) duo have consistently struck with the new ball, dominating the powerplay overs. Their ability to keep finding movement and value right from the start has turned early overs into a recurring advantage for GT.
Key takeaways
- Siraj and Rabada have bowled effectively through the powerplay in five consecutive IPL games for Gujarat Titans.
- Siraj has produced spells reaching the mid-140s (kph) at times, while Rabada has repeatedly clocked speeds in the 150s.
- GT’s run began in Chennai, where the pitch offered “a lot of moisture” and “steep bounce up front”.
- In IPL 2026, Ahmedabad is leading the league for fast-bowling averages (21.35) among grounds hosting at least three matches, and it is one of only two venues where fast bowlers average under nine an over.
- On Tuesday night at Ahmedabad, SRH were dismissed for 86 in 14.5 overs, with GT using swing, seam, pace, bounce and minimal spin to deliver a decisive blow.
A new-ball partnership built for early damage
The five-match stretch is a reflection of how relentless both bowlers have been with their length and of their ability to squeeze maximum value from the conditions in front of them. Rhythm has also been a big part of their output: Siraj has shown he can hit speeds in the mid-140s (kph) when needed, while Rabada has often moved into the 150s to pressure batters from the first over onwards.
Still, it hasn’t been only about skill and execution. The pitches GT have faced and defended on have also played their part, offering enough to reward accurate, attacking bowling.
The sequence started in Chennai, where GT bowled first on a surface described by Jason Holder as having “a lot of moisture, and steep bounce up front”. Holder, who delivered four overs in that match, conceded just 22.
From there, GT carried much of the same threat into their other fixtures, with three of the remaining four games taking place at their home venue in Ahmedabad. At this stage of IPL 2026, Ahmedabad ranks as the top ground in the league for fast-bowling averages—21.35—among places that have hosted at least three matches. It is also one of only two venues in the competition (Lucknow being the other) where fast bowlers have managed to keep their figures below nine runs per over.
Tuesday night: Ahmedabad’s seam and GT’s bowling blueprint
On Tuesday night, Ahmedabad provided one of the season’s more seam-friendly surfaces. GT did not need to crank up to their maximum pace to reach 168, but it was evident from early on that Sunrisers Hyderabad’s (SRH) batters were being tested by unusual seam movement and grip—especially when GT’s fast bowlers bowled cutters.
B Sai Sudharsan’s 44-ball 61 and Washington Sundar’s 33-ball 50 may have looked, at least on first glance, like innings that belonged more to older T20 templates. However, both knocks were well-matched to the way the pitch behaved, allowing them just enough time and shape to survive the movement.
Once GT had posted a total to defend, the surface turned into a weapon for the bowling plan they unleashed.
If Tuesday’s conditions were handed to any team and asked to build the most effective attack for that type of wicket, GT’s combination would be an obvious choice. The swing, seam and precision of Siraj, the pace, bounce and seam movement Rabada brings, Holder’s height and bounce, and Prasidh Krishna’s height paired with hard lengths all fit the bill. Add to that Rashid Khan—arguably the most impactful wrist-spinner in world cricket—and GT had the complete package, including the ability to use spin only when it was required.
That balance mattered because GT did not need to overwork the spin department. They used just five deliveries of spin and managed to dismiss SRH for 86 in 14.5 overs.
Why GT’s team balance fits their pitches
IPL team-building naturally limits how perfectly any franchise can cover every requirement. Each side starts with the same salary purse and can only retain a small number of players from one season to the next. As a result, most squads end up being strong in certain departments, competent in others, and willing to tolerate one or two weaknesses rather than building a fully flawless structure.
GT stand out for how sharp their planning looks. They have assembled what they consider the strongest bowling unit in the IPL along with a reliable top order. On their best days, the attack and the top of the batting lineup do most of the work, leaving the middle order with little to rescue.
But teams still have to live with the reality that conditions can tilt the equation. On flatter tracks, where good lengths take just as much punishment as any other line and where batting depth plus a high six-hitting ceiling can narrow the gap between teams, the difference between GT’s bowling and other attacks tends to shrink. In those situations, any shortcomings in GT’s batting matter more.
On pitches like Tuesday’s, however, GT become extremely difficult to beat. SRH arrived in Ahmedabad with one of the best top threes the league has produced in recent history—Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan—but the trio struggled to get the ball off the middle. Siraj and Rabada extracted far too much movement and bounce from good lengths, and they kept landing on those lengths often enough to make powerplay-style batting largely ineffective. By the time SRH began the chase, the target of 169 already appeared beyond reach.
Seam-friendly wickets, pitch control, and GT’s advantage
Across T20 cricket, the idea of “good” or “bad” pitches is often misunderstood. There are no truly bad surfaces in the usual sense—what matters is whether a wicket allows the ball to lift dangerously from a length. In IPL 2026, the BCCI has increased its level of control over pitch preparation compared to before, which raises the possibility that Ahmedabad’s seam-friendly nature is not simply a coincidence.
Some franchises, though, have still voiced frustration about inconsistency and a lack of control. Delhi Capitals head coach Hemang Badani, for example, has asked for steadier preparation after his team received dramatically different pitches for two home games within the span of three days.
For GT, though, their construction has aligned neatly with the kind of wickets they have been getting. The fit between their bowling group and their home conditions echoes the old “spin-to-win” approach Chennai Super Kings used at Chepauk. GT may not influence pitch preparation this season, but they certainly do not seem to be complaining—especially not with the returns they are getting at home.
