Sai Sudharsan etched his name into unwanted IPL trivia by becoming the first batter to be dismissed hit-wicket in consecutive playoff matches. The Gujarat Titans opener suffered two eerily similar blow-ups across the IPL 2026 playoffs—first against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Qualifier 1 and then again versus Rajasthan Royals in Qualifier 2—yet his side still surged to the final.
Back-to-back hit-wicket dismissals in the playoffs
The sequence began in Qualifier 1 against Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Gujarat were chasing a daunting 255-run target when Sudharsan went for a run. In a bizarre moment, his bat slipped out of his hands and struck the stumps, ending his innings at 14 and handing the opposition a rare kind of breakthrough.
That freak dismissal sparked a sharp wobble in the chase. Gujarat Titans slid to 51/5 as the top order faltered immediately after Sudharsan’s exit.
Only three days later, history repeated itself in Qualifier 2 against Rajasthan Royals. Chasing 215 in Mullanpur, Sudharsan looked in fine rhythm, racing to 58 off just 32 balls. But after cutting a boundary off spinner Brijesh Sharma, the same kind of mishap occurred—his bat slipped again during the follow-through and crashed into the stumps, resulting in another extraordinary hit-wicket dismissal.
Qualifier 2: Gujarat’s chase in Mullanpur
Despite the strange setbacks, Gujarat Titans responded with purpose and completed the job in style, securing a seven-wicket triumph over Rajasthan Royals to earn their spot in the IPL 2026 final.
Rajasthan Royals had posted 214/6. Their total was driven by Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s sparkling 96 off 47 balls, supported by a late cameo from Donovan Ferreira.
In reply, the chase was led by Gujarat Titans captain Shubman Gill, who struck a commanding 104 off 53 deliveries. Sudharsan added 58 off 32 as the pair steadied the innings and then pushed it decisively.
- Target chased: 215
- Gujarat finished: 219/3
- Chase completed in: 18.4 overs
Sudharsan’s response: turning the incidents into a joke
After the win, Sudharsan addressed the back-to-back hit-wicket dismissals with a calm, humorous outlook. He suggested he may need to adjust his grip before the summit clash in Ahmedabad, adding that last time the bat had bounced and hit the stumps, while this time he simply wanted it to go straight.
“I think I should try some things. I’m going to try some grip tech now and just bat a few balls and see how it is. Seriously. Last game it just bounced a few times and hit the stumps. But this game, I just wanted it to hit straight, I think,” he said during the post-match presentation.
What it means for IPL 2026
With the seven-wicket victory in Qualifier 2, Gujarat Titans have now booked their place in the IPL 2026 final. The match also underlined how quickly momentum can swing in T20 cricket—especially when a batter suffers an unusual dismissal—yet still manage to find a way to finish the chase comfortably.
