Follow UsShubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan started things off well for Gujarat Titans (GT) once again, putting up 120 in 12 overs for the first wicket against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in Lucknow on April 12 (Saturday). However, it went downhill for them after that as GT scored only 60 runs in the next eight overs, to set LSG a moderate 181-run target.
While acknowledging that losing Sai Sudharsan and himself in quick succession was not ideal, Gill felt that his team need to work on their strike rotation in the middle overs.
"Losing back-to-back wickets didn't help our cause. The ball was stopping, it wasn't an easy wicket. Our strike rotation in the middle wasn't as good as we expected and it's something we need to work on," Gill said at the post-match presentation.
Despite needing just a run-a-ball in the last five overs, the match went into the final over, with LSG hanging on to the win - their third win on the trot. At that juncture, Gill said that the discussion was to take the match as deep as possible.
"When you need 30 off 30, and if the match goes to the final over, it's always a good sign for us. That was the conversation in the second timeout that we are going to take this game as deep as possible," Gill added.
Winning captain Rishabh Pant was pleased with the way his bowlers pulled things back in the last eight overs. "Bowlers put it in the right place to pull it back for us. The start [with the ball] wasn't happy, but the way we pulled it back was amazing," Pant said.
With no Mitchell Marsh today, Pant opened the batting with Aiden Markram with whom he put on 65 in 38 for the first wicket. He played yet another scratchy knock, scoring 21 off 18 deliveries.
Markram, who won the Player of the Match for his 58 off 31, said, "Slight change of role, getting used to opening. Schedule is packed so you are playing lots of cricket. But you need to keep sticking to your plan," when asked about his thoughts on him opening the innings.
With four wins in six matches, LSG move to third in the points table with eight points. They take on Chennai Super Kings (CSK) next on April 14 (Monday) in Lucknow. GT, on the other hand, will look to get back to winning ways against Delhi Capitals (DC) in Ahmedabad on April 19 (Saturday).