Flying high after beating and mocking their opponents, the Gujarat Titans (GT) were given a brutal reality check as they were thrashed by 92 runs by Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) as the defending champions marched their way into the summit clash in Ahmedabad on Sunday night. GT were a confident lot coming into this game and won the toss and decided to chase, going by history. But everything fell flat on their face, as they were outplayed in all facets of the game by a rampaging RCB side. We will try to analyse GT’s humiliating loss to RCB last night.
Conceding 76 runs in the power play gave early momentum to the opposition
GT won the toss and decided to bowl first. Venkatesh Iyer was off to a flier as he gave RCB a quick start in the power play, scoring 19 runs off 7 balls. But he fell soon after in the second over. Thereafter, Devdutt Padikkal and Virat Kohli joined forces and built up a partnership as well to take us through the power play. Padikkal went big from the word go, while Kohli complemented him really well. The duo made sure that RCB, despite losing an early wicket, did not fall behind the rate and aced that phase.
The bowling, which was GT’s strength so far, really misfired and got exposed in front of our eyes. Rabada, Siraj, and Holder just could not control the ball. They bowled bad lines and length and made it easier for Padikkal and Kohli, both left-hand right hand batters. There were loose balls and slot balls, and they were duly punished. It was a rare off day for GT bowlers, and they got exposed in front of our eyes.
GT will have to forget this performance as quickly as possible, as they have a second chance to qualify for the finals. That was the advantage as a top 2 side to have two chances. The GT team will get the chance on Friday night in Qualifier 2 to make the finals, but they have to up their game by leaps and bounds to bounce back and reach the finals. It won’t be easy at all. SRH or RR, whoever comes will give GT a tough fight.
Inability to stop Rajat Patidar’s onslaught owing to dropped catches really hurt GT badly
Despite a terrific power play for RCB, GT came back well with the ball, and one can say a mini comeback as Kohli and Padikkal were prized out in the same over by Jason Holder. Things slowed down a little, but with wickets in hand, we knew RCB would accelerate. GT kept bowling well as Patidar started to get going slowly. Things were under GT’s control till Prasidh Krishna came into the attack and almost picked up wickets. It was Krishna who created the first chance.
Patidar was batting on 14 when he miscued the ball up in the air. Buttler ran after it, and the deep third man fielder Kulwant Khejroliya got close to the ball but could not get his hands on it, and the ball went through. If that was not enough, a simple and easy chance came when batting on 20*, Patidar miscued the ball down to deep square leg where Rabada dropped an absolute sitter. Krishna was the unlucky bowler, and this turned out to be a costly error.
Patidar made GT pay after this error as he went into a rampaging mode and added 73 more runs from the dropped catch by Rabada. He just tore apart the GT bowling as no one who came his way stood tall. The bowling was bad, and Rajat went overdrive, but GT have themselves to blame as their catching and fielding let them down alongside bowling. Catches win matches is the old saying, and the Titans were found wanting in that area as clutch god Patidar took advantage and took the score beyond GT, which was not going to be chased on this pitch and in the situation of the match.
Losing half the side inside the power play in the chase sealed the fate of the game
Chasing 255 for the win, GT needed a solid foundation to even make a match out of it, let alone win the contest. But what transpired in the second innings was a disaster for the batting unit and absolute dominance from the defending champions, RCB. Sai Sudharsan and Shubman Gill opened the batting for GT. Sai was looking good and got a start to this innings. He hit three crisp boundaries before being hit wicket as the bat slipped from his hands and hit the stumps.
Thereafter, Shubman Gill fell 10 runs later, scoring only 2 runs off 7 balls. Jos Buttler came and tried to counterattack against Hazlewood before he was cleaned up by Josh for 29 off 11 balls with the score at 51. The damage was not done yet as Nishant Sindhu fell soon after, and so did Jason Holder as Rasikh Salam had two wickets in the over. GT were reduced to 51/5 in 6 overs of power play, and the game was as good as over in this period.
Soon, Washington Sundar fell post power play with Rashid Khan and Kagiso Rabada falling to leave GT reeling at 88/8 in 11.2 overs. GT must be thanking their stars that Rahul Tewatia, as an impact player, came and played an important 68-run knock to save GT from the blushes. Or else, a heavy defeat awaited GT from the 92-run defeat it suffered. Tewatia might have shown his class, but GT were exposed and outplayed in all facets of the game apart from the toss.
GT would like to forget this game as quickly as possible and come back stronger in Qualifier 2. RCB are in the finals as we speak.
What Lies Ahead
So, GT will have to go to New Chandigarh next for Qualifier 2 on Friday, while RCB are going to Ahmedabad for the finale on Sunday night. Who GT will face in Qualifier 2 will be determined later tonight as the Eliminator clash takes place between SRH and RR from New Chandigarh. The winner goes to Qualifier 2, the loser goes home. Let’s see how things pan out in New Chandigarh later tonight.
Also Read: RCB vs GT: Rajat Patidar’s Special Knock Helps RCB Enter Finals For 5th Time