Gujarat Titans’ loss to Royal Challengers Bengaluru was not just about failing to defend a massive 205 at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. The result quickly turned into a talking point around leadership decisions, especially as GT managed to bring the game back to a position where a decisive bowling move had brought the chase to a tense finish.For most of the innings, RCB looked comfortable. Virat KohliA fluent 81 off 44 balls and a blistering 55 off 27 from Devdutt Padikal ensured control at the top. However, Gujarat clawed their way back after the set’s batsmen departed. In the 16th over, 33 runs were required from 27 balls for 173 runs for 5 wickets. After the departure of the key batsmen, the contest was reopened.
How did the turning point come about? Shabman Gul Managed his bowling resources. Muhammad Siraj He had three overs for 25 and took one wicket, making him GT’s most reliable pace option on the night. However, his last over was not used during the crucial phase. Instead, Manav Sothar was introduced in the 18th over. Krunal Pandyaand the gamble proved costly as it yielded 15 runs. The tie quickly shrunk to just seven needed in two overs, effectively ending the contest.Virender SehwagSpeaking on Cricbuzz, openly questioned the call. “When 22-25 were needed in the last three overs, and if Mohammad Siraj had come at that stage and got the wicket, maybe 20 would have been needed in 2 overs, and who knows what would have happened from there. They could have at least taken the game to the last over. The match didn’t even go to the last over,” Sehwag said.His criticism went beyond this one over. This pointed to a wider reluctance on GT’s part to trust their key bowlers when they were previously expensive. Prasad Krishna, Rashid Khan And Kagiso Rabada. All the runs were conceded, but Sehwag felt that at a position like Chinnaswamy’s, captains must rely on their strike options at critical moments.“I think there was a bit of a miscalculation on the part of the captain. Well, Parsed Krishna and Rashid Khan were killed for runs, but it’s the captain’s job to bring them back into the attack. If you think you can’t use a bowler because he’s given 31 runs in two overs, then you’ve given up, right? That means you’ve added to the error.”Strategic inconsistencies also played a role. Krunal Pandya, being a left-hander, was able to line up Sathar’s left-arm spin, and any long pressure disappeared once he covered the distance. Gill later suggested that GT had previously seen some traction for slower deliveries and believed that spin could produce a breakthrough. However, the plan didn’t work out, especially when Siraj’s control and tight length looked better for the stage.Apart from the result, this defeat highlights a recurring concern for the Gujarat Titans. Their execution at the death has been inconsistent this season, and despite them briefly regaining control another match slipped away. For Gill, who is still developing as a captain in the IPL, the night highlighted how important timing and trust in key players can be. The scoreboard showed a comfortable chase at the end, but the decisive moment had arrived long before.
