In their IPL match in Chennai on Sunday, Gujarat Titans defeated Chennai Super Kings handily, but skipper Shubman Gill acknowledged that “finishing an innings” has been a challenge and that his team will need to do better at it moving forward.
GT surpassed the target of 159 with 20 balls remaining, defeating CSK by eight wickets. Gill and Jos Buttler contributed 33 and 39 not out, respectively, while opening batsman Sai Sudharsan scored 87 off 46 balls.
“Very happy to get a win like that in this part of India. Apart from the last four or five overs, it was a complete performance. If I have to be critical, finishing an innings has been a problem. We need to do better in that,” PTI quoted Gill as saying at the post-match presentation.
Gill claimed that after winning the toss, he wasn’t quite sure whether to bat or bowl. In the end, he asked CSK to bat first, which proved to be the appropriate choice when GT held the home team to 158/7. With excellent figures of 3/25, Kagiso Rabada was the best bowler for GT and was adjudged Player of the Match.
“But we bowled well in the powerplay.”
On giving star leg-spinner Rashid Khan just one over, Gill said, “There was confusion in the middle. When Dube came in, I thought should we bowl Washy (Washington Sundar), but the game was in our hand. He (Manav Suthar) bowled a decent last over, gave 12 or 13. Pretty good effort from us.”
Gill also commended Sudharsan for his outstanding batting.
“It (form) was always with him. It was all about spending the time at the crease.”
Chennai native Sudharsan claimed that his last knock (100 versus Royal Challengers Bengaluru) gave him confidence.
“I just wanted to take the confidence from the last innings to this innings. I felt the pitch slightly got better but first six overs, it was tough. Shubi (Shubman Gill) played an extraordinary cameo. When I am hitting the ball well, then I play late,” he said.
Rabada claimed that despite his poor start, he managed to take three wickets during the game.
“That’s how cricket goes. I am glad to play a part to take the team across the line. We needed the two points. The team is clicking,” said the South African pacer.
Asked how kept himself ahead of the game, Rabada said, “It’s just not taking anything for granted. Sticking with your process and always looking to improve. The day that you stop looking to improve is the day that you retire.”
Regarding the pairing with Mohamed Siraj and other seamers, he stated, “Yeah, a lot of fast bowlers, that’s been a clear tactic of Gujarat over the years, playing at Ahmedabad. So it’s nice to see the fast bowlers union coming together and it’s been working thus far.
“I think we’ve been taking a lot of wickets, but at the same time, we need to find ways to contain too. So it’s been a really lovely journey that we’ve had so far.”
CSK captain Ruturaj Gaikwad lamented that his team lost too many wickets and that playing certain shots on the Chepauk field was challenging.
“Sometimes I hate to assess this way but it was challenging in the first innings. It was holding for the medium pacers and the bounce was up and down. We lost too many wickets but it was difficult to play some shots.”
Asked about the pitch, he said, “Not expected. It is hard to assess how it plays. This game we didn’t have any idea. By the time, we wanted to adapt it was too late.
“At the first timeout, when Flem (Stephen Fleming) came out, I told him I am trying to attack but it was tough. There was more bounce, or less bounce, and I told him I am trying to change. It just did not come good. It was just an off day and even on the field we were lethargic.”
On his innings of 74 off 60 balls, he said, “I got off to a really good start, and then I thought to keep up the momentum. But after the wickets fell, I felt the need to build a partnership. I then just wanted to take my time and rotate the strike.
“Any other pitch, any other day, I would have rotated the strike. Once I got hit, I just thought let’s keep going.”
