Chennai, April 26 (IANS) Gujarat Titans captain Shubman Gill heaped praise on opener Sai Sudharsan after his match-winning knock, highlighting the youngster’s ability to maximise returns with minimal risk following their emphatic eight-wicket win over Chennai Super Kings in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026.

Sudharsan’s fluent 87 anchored a clinical chase of 159, continuing his impressive run this season and drawing special appreciation from his skipper.

“He’s been batting brilliantly. Even in the innings that he got out in the middle, he was batting beautifully. So with him, it’s always a matter of spending that much time on the wicket. And once he’s set, he is that kind of player who can give the maximum reward with minimum risk, and that’s his advantage,” Gill said after the win.

Gill also expressed overall satisfaction with the team’s performance in challenging conditions, noting the significance of securing a convincing win at a venue known for testing visiting sides, as he said, “Really happy. To get a win like that here is always difficult in this part of India, so I’m really happy with the win.”

While GT dominated for most of the contest, Gill admitted there were minor lapses, particularly in the field during the latter stages of the first innings, saying, “Yeah, apart from the last four or five overs of fielding, I think it was a pretty good effort from us out there.”

The GT skipper further elaborated on the decision-making at the toss, revealing uncertainty over how the pitch would behave, before crediting his bowlers for maintaining control during the powerplay, a phase where the team has consistently excelled.

“Actually, I was a little bit confused whether to bowl first or bat first on this wicket. But I think we bowled pretty well in the Power-play, and Power-play has been one of the areas where consistently we have done well. And if I have to be really critical, finishing the innings has been a little bit of concern for us, and hopefully, in the upcoming matches, we improve on that,” he said.

Gill also shed light on tactical calls during the backend of CSK’s innings, including the limited use of Rashid Khan and entrusting Washington Sundar with the final over. With the game largely under control, the Titans opted to stick to their broader plans.

“In the middle, when Dube just came in, we were like, should we bowl one over to Washi? But we thought the game was in our hands, and let’s go as deep as possible. Maybe they are 8 or 9 down, and the last overs don’t matter as much. But yeah, I think he bowled a decent over. I think he gave away 12 or 13 runs in that last over. All in all, I think it was a pretty good effort from us with the ball,” the GT skipper concluded.

–IANS

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