GT failed to chase down 178 despite a 106-run opening partnership (PC: GT Twitter)
Former India opener Virender Sehwag believes the Gujarat Titans (GT) should have chased down the target with two overs to spare against the Mumbai Indians (MI). The Hardik Pandya-led side failed to make the most of the great platform set by the openers and eventually fell short by five runs.
Chasing 178 for victory at the Brabourne Stadium, GT were boosted by an opening partnership of 106 between Shubman Gill and Wriddhiman Saha. However, their pursuit was derailed after both batters departed post registering their respective half-centuries.
The middle-order could not bail GT out this time around despite the target being very much in sight.
Opining that Hardik Pandya and Rahul Tewatia sealed their own downfall with twin run-outs, Sehwag said on Cricbuzz:
“I was thinking that had GT openers flopped, it would have been better. Usually, when they flop, they end up winning. Now today they had such a great start, the chase should have been wrapped up with 2 overs to spare.”
Sehwag added:
Hardik Pandya and Rahul Tewatia dug their own grave today. They threw away a match that should have been won.”
The GT skipper and the all-rounder were both victims of run-outs in the death overs of the second innings. MI made the most of the dismissals and sealed the win courtesy of Daniel Sams’ great bowling in the final over.
Before the climactic finish, Murugan Ashwin played a key role by dismissing both well-set openers in the 13th over. The leg-spinner was the sole change for MI, who came in in place of off-spinner Hrithik Shokeen.
Praising Rohit Sharma’s thought-process behind the change in the playing XI, RP Singh said during the same interaction:
“I thought an off-spinner should have been there for Tewatia and Miller, but Rohit Sharma’s thought proved to be right because Ashwin gave him 2 important wickets. The team selection of MI has been patchy all season, Ashwin and Sams have been on and off throughout.”
Ashwin ended up with figures of 2-29 and was the pick of the bowlers for MI. The franchise now have two successive wins under their belt after losing eight on the trot.
“Instead of scoring 52, try to remain unbeaten on 90 and finish the game off” – Virender Sehwag on Shubman Gill
After registering the third fifty of IPL 2022, Shubman Gill perished while trying to slog Murugan Ashwin over long-on. The young batter’s dismissal triggered a collapse for GT which culminated in a slender five-run defeat.
Feeling that Gill should focus on making the most of his starts, Sehwag said:
“If you are scoring runs as an opener, which usually does not happen a lot, it should be such that people talk about you after the match. Gill should be thinking that if it is his day, he should make the opposition pay and take the team over the line.”
Sehwag concluded:
Instead of scoring 56, try to remain unbeaten on 90 and finish the game off. If he wants to play T20s for India, he has to show this.”
Since being picked prior to the IPL mega auction, Gill has scored 321 runs in 11 matches for the new franchise so far.
GT will next face the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) at the MCA Stadium in Pune on May 10 (Tuesday).
