Jaipur, May 10 (IANS) Shubman Gill expressed satisfaction after Gujarat Titans registered a dominant 77-run victory over Rajasthan Royals in their IPL 2026 clash on Saturday, saying the side had finally managed to put together a complete performance after falling short in different phases earlier in the season.

Gujarat produced one of their most clinical displays of the campaign at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium, piling up 229/4 before bowling Rajasthan out for 152 in 16.3 overs, with Rashid Khan starring with a four-wicket haul after the batting unit laid the platform. Gill said the team had discussed the need for a complete performance even before the contest.

“Even before this match, we had a conversation that till now I don’t think we had a perfect match. So very happy. I think this was a clean win for us,” Gill said after the match

When asked if this was the closest Gujarat had come to a perfect outing, the skipper agreed and pointed towards how accurately the side assessed conditions during the innings.

“We got above maybe 10-15 runs extra on the board. We thought there was a little bit in for the spinners in the middle. It wasn’t easy to hit sixes or get the boundaries. The ball was gripping a little bit. We got 230 runs on the board,” he said.

Gujarat’s innings was built around another commanding opening partnership involving Gill and Sai Sudharsan. The pair attacked aggressively during the powerplay but also ensured the side did not lose wickets unnecessarily despite slowing slightly during the later stages of the innings. Gill admitted the batting group initially felt 250 was possible but chose to prioritise wickets in hand once they realised the pitch was becoming slower.

“Yeah, that’s what we thought as well,” Gill said on whether Gujarat had 250 in sight.

“Let’s see, let’s keep trying to put the bowlers under pressure and see what score we get. But it wasn’t, like I said, it wasn’t easy to hit spinners through the line or at will. So we thought let’s keep the wickets in hand and try to bat deep. And I know there was a phase, I think, for about a couple of overs where we didn’t get the boundary in the 17th, 18th over. But I think we covered it well in the last over,” he added.

Gujarat’s bowlers then backed up the batting effort perfectly despite Rajasthan threatening briefly through a blazing powerplay led by Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Dhruv Jurel. The Titans removed both openers inside the powerplay before Rashid dismantled the middle order during a decisive spell of spin bowling.

Gill explained that Gujarat’s aggressive approach with the ball was driven by the modern demands of T20 cricket, particularly with the impact player rule, making totals increasingly difficult to defend without regular wickets.

“We believe it’s important to hold the fort up front. That’s where the thought process comes from. We see if we take wickets up front, it always gives our bowlers a bit more chance in the middle overs to attack and then get even more wickets.

“Because the only way with the impact player and the kind of wickets that there are, the only way to contain the other team is if you keep picking up wickets. There is no other way. So that’s the thought process behind it. Always look to keep attacking and always look to keep taking the wickets,” he said.

The Gujarat skipper also provided an update on the ankle issue he appeared to suffer during the game, saying the discomfort eased after some time, saying, “While taking the run, I twisted my ankle a little bit. It was quite painful. But I think after half an hour or so, it settled down a bit.”

The emphatic win strengthened Gujarat’s position in the playoff race ahead of their next home fixture, with Gill hoping the side can carry forward the momentum from what he described as their most complete display of the season.

“Yeah, very happy. You know, now the next game is at home. Hopefully we’re going to have another good match,” he concluded..

–IANS

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