Game of the Day: Gill, Sudharsan and a reminder that the fundamentals of cricket never go out of style

The IPL has spent years redefining what batting can look like.

Every season brings with it new innovations. The batsmen shuffle across their stumps to beat the fast bowlers at 145 km/h over fine leg. Yorkers disappear behind the keeper. Reverse scoops and ramps, once considered novelties, have become part of the everyday vocabulary of T20 cricket. The format rewards audacity, celebrates invention and often convinces players that there is always a newer, smarter and more adventurous way to score runs.

That’s why Gujarat Titans’ chase against Rajasthan Royals in Qualifier 2 was so fascinating.

GT vs RR Qualifier 2: HIGHLIGHTS | SCORECARD

Against one of the most gifted teenage talents the game has seen in years and a target in excess of 200, the defining performance came not from innovation but from execution. It comes from two batsmen who continue to believe in the oldest principles of cricket and execute them better than most.

Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan were unbeaten on 215 with a flurry of unconventional strokes. They didn’t try to overwhelm Rajasthan with carelessness. Instead, they put together a batting display built around timing, placement, footwork and shot selection, reminding everyone that the fundamentals remain as effective in 2026 as they were decades ago.

At the end of the night, Gujarat secured a commanding seven-wicket winthey booked their place in their third IPL final in five seasons and completed the highest successful chase in the history of the franchise. Gill produced a stunning 104 off 53 balls, Sudharsan contributed a fluent 58 off 32 and they combined to add 167 runs in just 77 deliveries in a partnership that effectively ended the contest before Rajasthan realized they were running away.

TRUST THE TEMPLATE

Gill and Sudharsan put on 167 runs for the opening wicket. Courtesy: Reuters

However, the chase started long before Gill and Sudharsan walked out to bat.

Earlier in the evening, Rajasthan Royals were powered by another remarkable innings from Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. The 15-year-old prodigy once again played with a freedom and confidence that belied his age. His innings was full of terrific hitting and fearless intent, helping Rajasthan post 214 for 6 after electing to bat first on the used New Chandigarh surface.

At various points during Sooryavanshi’s innings, it looked like Rajasthan were heading for a set that would put massive pressure on Gujarat. Still, there were few signs of panic inside the Titan camp.

During an innings conversation with the broadcast host, assistant coach Parthiv Patel revealed the mindset in the dressing room. If Rajasthan could be restricted below 220, Gujarat believed they would be in a strong position. It was a simple assessment, but one that reflected the confidence the Titans have in their pitching staff.

When the chase began, the required rate was 10.75 runs per rep. It was challenging but hardly intimidating for a side whose batting revolves around two openers who have spent the season turning tough chases into manageable chases.

More importantly, Gujarat knew that it did not have to give up its identity.

Just a few days earlier, Royal Challengers Bengaluru destroyed their top order in the Powerplay. Smaller teams may have responded by trying to get out of trouble at the first opportunity. Gill and Sudharsan took a different route. They believed in the process that guided them throughout the season.

That confidence was visible from the start.

If one Rajasthan bowler was expected to make an impact, it was Jofra Archer. The England fast bowler was among their most dangerous players and the pace and bounce on offer at New Chandigarh seemed tailor-made to his strengths. Yet Archer was never able to settle as the Gujarat openers refused to allow him any breathing space.

Gill and Sudharsan hit two boundaries each in Archer’s first over and immediately shifted the pressure back to Rajasthan. It wasn’t a reckless attack. It was calculated, controlled and perfectly aligned with the way both batsmen operated. Anything remotely loose was penalized while good deliveries were respected.

Once Archer failed to gain control, the chase began to flow exactly the way Gujarat wanted.

A MASTER CLASS IN TIMING, NOT STRENGTH

The most striking aspect of Gill’s innings was how little power seemed to be involved. It was a traditional batting masterclass in an era obsessed with power hitting. There was hardly a birth to try to muscle. Instead, he relied on timing, balance and the ability to repeatedly open up gaps in the field.

His innings was a collection of proper cricket strokes. Drives broke offside with surgical precision. Swings rolled over the leg. Shots over extra cover consistently beat fielders despite not always traveling at extraordinary speed.

However, the pull shot remained the focal point.

Gill has always been one of the best movers of the cricket ball in Indian cricket and on Friday night he provided another reminder why. Even against Archer’s pace, he looked completely in control. Three moves in particular stood out, each played under the eyes, each struck from a position of balance and one wandered into the stands. There was no sense that the batsman was trying to overpower the bowler. Gill simply trusted his technique and timing.

Against spin, his footwork was equally impressive. Whenever Ravindra Jadeja and the slower bowlers tried to settle into a rhythm, Gill used his legs to disrupt their length. He repeatedly converted good deliveries into scoring opportunities and eventually reached his century using exactly this method, advancing down the pitch and driving Jadeja over another cover for four.

The hundred was his fifth in the IPL and the fastest ever by a Gujarat Titans batsman. Just 47 deliveries came after he reached his half-century in 30 balls. What made the innings special was the pace. There was no frantic acceleration and no dramatic change in approach. Gill just kept building, believing the boundaries would come naturally if he continued to make good decisions.

His final score of 104 included 15 fours and three sixes, but the numbers only partially explain the quality of the batting.

THE PARTNERSHIP THAT REDEFINED GT

Shubman Gill scored 104 runs off 53 balls. Courtesy: Reuters

At the other end, Sudharsan again showed why he makes the perfect partner.

The left-hander’s contribution often risks being overshadowed by Gill’s ability to dominate the headlines, but his role in Gujarat’s success is just as significant. His 58 off 32 balls featured a series of cuts and drives that repeatedly found gaps and ensured the scoreboard never stopped moving.

Like Gill, Sudharsan rarely looked rushed. He played at his best, attacking the right serves and spinning the shots with remarkable efficiency. Together, they proved that few opening combinations in world cricket can match.

By the time Gill brought up his fifty with a six and a four off Tushar Deshpande in the ninth over, the duo had already registered their eighth century partnership in IPL cricket. The partnership continued to swell even after the field widened, with neither batter allowing the Rajasthan bowlers any opportunity to regain control.

Gill then dismantled Jadeja with two sixes and a four to power Gujarat to 127 for no loss after 10 overs. This score was 24 runs more than Rajasthan managed at the same stage of their innings despite Sooryavanshi’s brilliance.

Sudharsan soon reached his fifty off just 26 balls with a six off Yash Raj Punja before Gill ended the over with two boundaries of his own. During the stand, both batsmen crossed the 700-run mark for the season, further highlighting the consistency behind Gujarat’s campaign.

With Gujarat crossing 150 in the 12th over and Gill entering the nineties with two boundaries off Burger, the result was inevitable. Rajasthan were desperate for a breakthrough but the openers had already taken the game out of their reach.

The statistics that emerged from the partnership only reinforced its importance. The century was Gill and Sudharsan’s 11th century partnership in T20 cricket, the most by any pair in the world. Gujarat completed their highest run chase in IPL history. Gill scored the fastest century by a Titans batsman.

And then, in the midst of all that perfection, came a moment of utter absurdity.

In the second match in a row, Sudharsan lost control of the bat while attempting a boundary through the offside. For the second game in a row, ended with a hit wicket dismissal. It was a strange occurrence that briefly distracted from what was otherwise another flawless opening stand.

Still, even that bizarre dismissal couldn’t change the bigger story of the evening.

THE OLD SCHOOL WAY STILL WORKS

At a time when T20 cricket continues to evolve at breakneck speed, Gill and Sudharsan remain proof that innovation is most effective when built on solid foundations. Not a single dough is trapped in the past. Their strike rate and scoring numbers comfortably belong in the modern game. What separates them is their refusal to abandon the fundamentals that have always mattered.

On a night when Sooryavanshi showed off the intrepid future of T20 batting with another extraordinary innings, Gujarat’s openers reminded everyone that the game’s oldest virtues still hold immense value. Balance, timing, footwork, shot selection and an understanding of risk remain powerful weapons, especially when played by players of this quality.

As Gujarat marched into yet another IPL final, buoyed by a world-record opening partnership and a captain’s innings of exceptional class, Gill and Sudharsan offered something more valuable than victory. They reminded that while T20 cricket may be constantly reinventing itself, the fundamentals of cricket have never gone out of style.

– The end

Issued by:

sabyasachi chowdhury

Published on:

30 May 2026 07:27 IST