On Sunday, April 16, at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, the Gujarat Titans (GT) lost a nail-biter against the IPL 2022 runner-up Rajasthan Royals (RR).
David Miller led the way for GT with 46 runs off 30 balls as they scored 177/7 batting first after being given a chance to bat. While Mohammed Shami and Hardik Pandya were almost unplayable on the powerplay, Shimron Hetmyer and captain Sanju Samson scored half-centuries to lead the visitors to a remarkable chase.
The Royals were in a precarious 55/4 position halfway through the 11th over when Hetmyer and Samson began slamming the ball to all parts of the ground for boundaries. The pair countered the asking rate of over 12 runs per over by putting together 59 runs together. Shimron Hetmyer took his side to victory with a fantastic shot in the final and deciding over.
Since this is GT’s second straight home loss in the IPL 2023, let’s analyse the three critical reasons for their defeat against RR last night.
1. Slow batting performance in the middle overs
Although GT has been a team that has scored quick runs in the powerplay in the IPL 2023, they only scored 42 runs, with 32 runs coming in the first five overs. After Hardik Pandya joined Shubman Gill in the middle, the run rate increased, but Pandya’s dismissal slowed them back down.
Pandya was out with the score at 91/3 in the 11th over. The Titans’ score was 125/4 at the beginning of the 17th over. Even though they finished strong, their poor start ultimately cost them the game due to the onset of dew. They scored 34 runs in 33 balls of legal play. Despite being in a vulnerable position with the bat, RR was able to close the gap due to Hetmyer and Samson’s outstanding knocks.
2. Noor Ahmad rather than Joshua Little as the impact substitute
In IPL 2023, Joshua Little has been utilised frequently by GT as an impact substitute while bowling in the 2nd innings. However, they waited till the end of the 12th over to give Afghanistan’s Noor Ahmad his first professional cricketing opportunity against RR in IPL.
It was an intriguing and bold approach, given the amount of dew on the ground. The GT was in a great position to pull off a good defence, but they may have brought in Noor because of the mystery related to his left-arm wrist-spinning ability.
Noor managed to come up with a wicket, dismissing Sanju Samson. He was also given the ball to defend only seven runs in the final over of the innings.
Young Noor had a harsh introduction to the big league, and GT’s decision not to go in with Little’s fast bowling is even more surprising given that Alzarri Joseph and Rashid Khan were also going for runs.
3. Hardik Pandya’s changes in the bowling attack
Joseph’s three overs resulted in 47 runs, which threw a wrench into skipper Pandya’s plans. Nonetheless, the GT captain made several dubious decisions during Sunday’s encounter against RR in IPL 2023.
Mohammed Shami’s lack of comfort when bowling in the final overs is well known. Even so, he was given the penultimate over to defend, in which the RR batsman smashed 20 runs.
Mohit Sharma, who sent down two economical overs and was named “Player of the Match” in the last match against the Punjab Kings (PBKS), was not even considered.
GT appeared to try many new things last night against RR, and it paid out poorly when Samson and Hetmyer turned the tables.
