Shubman Gill believes the \u201coccasion\u201d shouldn\u2019t be something Gujarat Titans play into, and that mindset delivered when it mattered most. On Friday, GT booked their place in the IPL 2026 final with a convincing seven-wicket win over Rajasthan Royals in Mullanpur, turning the Qualifier 2 into a statement performance. Gill smashed a brilliant 104 off 53 balls, striking 15 fours and clearing the ropes three times, as Gujarat overhauled the Royals\u2019 total with ease. His century also came with a direct response to Vaibhav Sooryavanshi\u2019s standout 96, which had anchored Rajasthan\u2019s first-innings effort\u2014yet still wasn\u2019t enough to stop the Titans.<\/p>\n
After the match, Gill said the best version of his team shows up when they refuse to get carried away by the magnitude of the game. \u201cThe feeling is really good. But it\u2019s a quick turnaround, so tomorrow we\u2019ll rest and recover and then go there and assess conditions,\u201d he said. He added that removing the pressure of the occasion helps the side express itself. \u201cIf you don\u2019t play the occasion, it brings the best out of us. Let\u2019s take the occasion out and play some good cricket. Whether we win or lose, we should play good cricket.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gill also pointed to GT\u2019s approach through the tournament, highlighting that the team\u2019s identity is built around consistent execution rather than occasion-driven cricket. The Titans\u2019 final appearance sets up an IPL final that mirrors the earlier Qualifier 1, when defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru had beaten Gujarat Titans by 92 runs.<\/p>\n
Against Rajasthan, Gujarat\u2019s chase was powered by a strong start, beginning with a 167-run opening partnership between Gill and Sai Sudharsan. Sudharsan contributed 58 before being dismissed hit-wicket for the second match in a row, but the platform had already been laid for the Titans to build momentum. Gill and Sudharsan\u2019s collaboration during the innings stood out, with Gill emphasising how well they communicate at the crease and how they decide which bowler to attack next.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe complement each other and each other\u2019s game very well. When we are batting out there our communication is very good,\u201d Gill said. He explained that their batting plans revolve around taking responsibility for specific matchups. \u201cOne of us has to take down one of the bowlers and we are very good in deciding which bowler to take on.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gill also addressed Sudharsan\u2019s repeat hit-wicket dismissal, joking that it was something he hadn\u2019t seen happen twice like that. \u201cI don\u2019t think anyone has seen that (hit-wicket) happen in two games. I saw some video on social media about taping his hands, and I think I\u2019ll have to do that,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
On his own innings, Gill said he was focused on reading the gaps and backing his timing rather than swinging aimlessly. \u201cI was in the kind of zone where I was just looking at the gaps and the bowler and see my zone and try to hit it there,\u201d he explained. \u201cThat\u2019s what happens when you\u2019re batting well\u2014you see the gaps and middle it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gill acknowledged that the chase shifted slightly after Rajasthan ended up beyond the range the Titans had hoped for. \u201cAt one point we thought we could restrict them to 180-190 but they made 210 (214\/6), so we just wanted to get a good start. I wanted to finish it off but got out,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Rajasthan captain Riyan Parag assessed the game from the Royals\u2019 perspective, suggesting that a target around 240 would have been more difficult to defend against in the conditions. \u201cIt was a par score; it was defendable,\u201d Parag said. He added that the pitch behaved differently as the innings progressed, improving after the heavy roller. \u201cI felt after the heavy roller, it got better in the second innings. In the first innings, the bowlers got some grip, and the slower ones did well. I thought 230 would have been a par score (and) a score around 240 would have been challenging.\u201d<\/p>\n
Parag also praised Sooryavanshi\u2019s 96, describing it as a measured innings rather than a pure slog. \u201cI can\u2019t put it into words, there\u2019s one way where you slog and score many runs. But he doesn\u2019t slog, you could see his innings today\u2014he calculates and plays his shots,\u201d Parag said. He expressed hope that the young batter\u2019s run of form continues, adding, \u201cI can\u2019t say how, but hopefully he will go on to do well in his career, do well for the Rajasthan Royals and win us a second title.\u201d<\/p>\n
Despite missing out on a spot in the final, Parag highlighted the positives from the season, noting how the Royals reached the playoffs even with limited experience in their ranks. \u201cTo sum it up in one sentence, there were many positives. We weren\u2019t supposed to qualify, given that many players were young and inexperienced, but many youngsters performed well and can only improve from here,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Shubman Gill believes the \u201coccasion\u201d shouldn\u2019t be something Gujarat Titans play into, and that mindset delivered when it mattered most. On Friday, GT booked their…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":13202,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_yoast_wpseo_title":"Shubman Gill Leads GT to IPL 2026 Final vs RR","_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"Shubman Gill fires 104 as GT dismiss Rajasthan Royals by seven wickets in Qualifier 2, setting up IPL 2026 final showdown vs RR.","footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-13203","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ipl"],"yoast_head":"\n