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Mohammed Siraj’s update from ground zero after short circuit in team bus leaves GT players, staff stranded for an hour

After the defeat to RCB, the Gujarat squad endured an alarming ordeal on their way back to the team hotel in Ahmedabad.

Updated on: Jun 1, 2026, 09:29:37 IST
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Sunday night went from bad to worse for Gujarat Titans. Hours after suffering defeat in the IPL 2026 final against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, the Gujarat squad endured an alarming ordeal on their way back to the team hotel in Ahmedabad. Fast bowler Mohammed Siraj later shared proof of it in an Instagram story, captioned: "Breakdown", where he, along with three of his team members, are seen seated on the roadside.

Gujarat Titans' Mohammed Siraj celebrates with teammates after taking the wicket of Royal Challengers Bengaluru's Venkatesh Iyer, caught by Kagiso Rabada (REUTERS)
Gujarat Titans' Mohammed Siraj celebrates with teammates after taking the wicket of Royal Challengers Bengaluru's Venkatesh Iyer, caught by Kagiso Rabada (REUTERS)

According to a report in the PTI, the team bus carrying the Gujarat players and the support staff suffered a breakdown while on its way to the hotel after the IPL final loss to Royal Challenge Bengaluru. The report added that the team members, who are all safe and unhurt despite smoke spreading inside the bus, waited on the road for a short while before another bus was arranged to take them to the hotel.

Screenshot of Mohammed Siraj's Instagram story
Screenshot of Mohammed Siraj's Instagram story

Tough 24 hours in Ahmedabad

It has been a challenging 24 hours for Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad.

The team arrived late in the city following their Qualifier 2 win over Rajasthan Royals in Mullanpur on Friday after adverse weather conditions in north India temporarily affected flight operations in Chandigarh. Their flight was delayed by nearly three hours, leaving them with less than 24 hours to prepare for the final. The delay even forced the postponement of the pre-match captains' photoshoot.

Gujarat also had to navigate a demanding travel schedule during the playoffs. After completing their league-stage campaign at home, they travelled to Dharamsala for Qualifier 1 against RCB. Following that defeat, they headed to Punjab for Qualifier 2 before returning to Ahmedabad for Sunday's title clash.

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In the final, Gujarat's top order failed to fire. Captain Shubman Gill, Sai Sudharsan and Jos Buttler all departed without crossing the 20-run mark, exposing the fragility of the middle order as GT were restricted to 155 for 8.

Despite the travel-related challenges, Gujarat director of cricket Vikram Solanki refused to use them as an excuse for the defeat.

"The number of games in a short period of time is challenging. Of course it is, at the end of a campaign, but I'm not going to lean on that at all," Solanki said.

"The fact is that RCB have beaten us today, and we must be strong enough to hold our heads high and be proud of the campaign that we've put together, yet also be gracious enough to congratulate RCB.

"So I don't want to take away from the fact that RCB have won by simply saying, 'Oh, we've had this number of games in such a short space of time and we're fatigued.' That's not really what we're about."

  • Aratrick Mondal
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Aratrick Mondal

    Aratrick Mondal is a senior sports journalist based in New Delhi. In his eight years as a sports writer, Aratrick has worked at leading media organisations, including The Times of India, Times Now, Zee, India TV and currently works at a senior position at Hindustan Times Digital. He writes on cricket, football, pickleball and tennis, among other sports. He has extensively covered India's evolving cricket landscape, the country's new-found love for private leagues such as Indian Pickleball League (IPBL), Ultimate Kho Kho League (UKK), Rugby Premier League (RPL) and several tennis leagues. He has closely covered emerging sports such as pickleball. His coverage of major franchise events lends an atmospheric flavor to his ground reports. His recent story on how SA20 (the domestic cricket league of South Africa) had opened up its grounds to create a carnival-like fan experience garnered major international attention, including appreciation from major cricketers. Tennis holds a special place in his heart. Aratrick has built a strong niche in analytical tennis stories—ranging from Grand Slam narratives and player profiles to tactical breakdowns and ranking trends. His long-form features often decode grand slams, career highs and lows of tennis greats and the upward trajectory of emerging stars. He also closely follows India's tennis landscape, having covered the Davis Cup, Bengaluru Open and Tata Open, among others. His reporting is backed by strong data capabilities, with hands-on experience using tools like Python, Tableau, and Excel to produce visually rich, insight-led stories. This data-first approach enhances accuracy, transparency, and trust. In leadership roles, he has managed editorial shifts, overseen homepage strategy, optimised SEO workflows, and mentored peers to deliver consistent, high-traffic journalism. He recently won the HT DigiStar award for the third quarter of financial year 2025-26. Aratrick is trusted for his balanced reportage, sound sourcing, and ability to translate complex sporting events into engaging narratives that speak to a wide audience. He believes sports is for everyone, not just for the enthusiasts and has a unique ability to bring people together - just like the sumptuous meals you'll often find him cooking on a weekend evening.Read More

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