Two matches, two bizarre hits: Is Sai Sudharsan the unlucky batsman in IPL?

Sai Sudharsan produced one of the strangest matches of IPL 2026 during the Gujarat Titans Qualifier 2 encounter against Rajasthan Royals, getting dismissed for the second match in a row. Just days after suffering the same fate against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Qualifier 1, the GT opener once again saw a brilliant innings end the same way.

Sudharsan, who had suffered a bizarre dismissal against RCB earlier in the playoffs, again saw his bat hit the stumps after playing a shot for square on the offside. The unusual nature of the dismissal quickly went viral, with many fans struggling to believe that the same batter had fallen under similar circumstances in back-to-back elimination games.

GT vs RR Qualifier 2: UPDATE | SCORECARD

Watch the video here:

Delusion the only way to get this animal consistent Sai Sudharshan is to get a wicket himself.

3 fckin Hit Wickets in last 2 years. pic.twitter.com/HNmngZXWev— U’ (@toxifyxe) May 29, 2026

This coincidence was even stranger as Sudharsan was in the middle of another spectacular innings and looked set to lead Gujarat Titans to victory.

After helping GT get off to a flying start in their pursuit of 215, Sudharsan and Shubman Gill took complete control of the proceedings with a breathtaking partnership of 167 runs off just 77 balls. At one stage Gujarat looked to be cruising towards a 10-wicket win.

The bizarre ending should not detract from what was otherwise another excellent innings from the Gujarat opener.

Sudharsan reiterated why he is one of the standout batsmen of IPL 2026. He raced to a 26-ball half-century to cross the 700-run mark for the season, continuing a campaign that saw him rank among the tournament’s top run-scorers.

Alongside Gill, he dismantled the Rajasthan Royals bowling attack and turned a daunting chase into what looked like a straightforward task.

Even after Sudharsan’s dismissal, Gujarat’s momentum hardly slowed. Gill continued to bat aggressively, brings up a stunning century in just 47 balls and keep the GT firmly on course in pursuit.

Despite the quality of the batting, it was Sudharsan’s dismissal that dominated the chatter on social media.

WHAT DID SUDHARSAN SAY ABOUT THE RELEASE?

It was the third time Sudharsan was dismissed in the IPL. The first incident was in 2022 during a match against MI and the other two this season. Speaking to the broadcasters after the match, Sudharsan said that he might have to do some gripping technology to solve the problem.

The GT opener managed to find the funny side of things, joking that he was trying to hit the stumps straight up compared to RCB’s game.

I think I should try something. I’m going to try some grip technology now, I honestly don’t have an answer as to how this happened. Seriously. Last game it turned and hit the stumps. But in this game, I think I wanted to straighten the stumps.

– The end

Issued by:

Debodinna Chakraborty

Published on:

29 May 2026 23:12 IST