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Cricket Players‘Virat bhai hit us...’: Shubman Gill reveals how Kohli's burst sparked Gujarat Titans' comeback
Shubman Gill was visibly pleased with his side’s disciplined performance after GT delivered a clinical bowling effort to secure a convincing win over RCB.
Gujarat Titans skipper Shubman Gill lauded his team’s energy and body language after they were briefly pushed on the back foot early in the clash against Royal Challengers Bengaluru. GT endured a tough second over when RCB’s star batter Virat Kohli came out all guns blazing, hammering Kagiso Rabada for five consecutive boundaries to immediately seize control and stamp authority on the contest. However, the Titans responded strongly, refusing to let the momentum slip further. Rabada himself turned things around in his very next over by dismissing Virat Kohli, helping restore balance and lift the team’s intensity on the field.
From there, GT steadily tightened their grip on the game as RCB kept losing wickets at regular intervals and were eventually bundled out for 155, falling short of batting out their full quota of 20 overs. The Titans’ bowling unit maintained relentless pressure, especially through the middle overs, with Jason Holder, Rashid Khan and Arshad Khan all delivering economical spells that strangled the scoring rate and tilted the contest firmly in Gujarat’s favour.
Shubman was visibly pleased with his side’s disciplined performance after Gujarat Titans delivered a clinical bowling effort to secure a convincing win over RCB. Reflecting on the game, the GT skipper highlighted how the bowlers set the tone on a surface that demanded patience and precision.
"Feels very satisfying, you know, on a wicket like this, restricting a team like them under 160 was a tremendous job by the bowlers," Gill said in the post-match presentation.
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Gill pointed to a defining early passage of the play that could have easily shifted momentum the other way. In particular, he referenced the fiery start provided by Kohli, who put GT under immediate pressure with a burst of attacking strokes, forcing the Titans to absorb an early setback and regroup quickly. The skipper felt that moment became a turning point in how his side responded as a unit, especially in terms of intensity and fielding standards
"I think our fielding was one of the things, it's something I think at phases, we haven't fielded that well in the game. And I think today was one of those days, everyone came together. The energy in the field was very, very nice, especially after the second over, Virat bhai hit us for some runs and how we all came back together. That was very crucial for us," he added.
“I got a bit lucky”
Meanwhile, Gill didn’t just lead from the front tactically; he stamped his authority on the chase with a blistering start that all but knocked the wind out of Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Taking the attack straight to Josh Hazlewood, the GT skipper set the tone early with fearless strokeplay, racing to 43 off just 18 balls and ensuring the required rate never became a concern. His intent at the top laid the perfect platform as Gujarat Titans cruised to the target well inside 16 overs.
Reflecting on his approach, Gill revealed it wasn’t part of any premeditated plan but rather a case of backing his instincts once he found his rhythm early on.
"Honestly, not really. I was just feeling like I was in the zone and on the first ball, I got a bit lucky. And the second one, I got in my zone, so I was like, okay, maybe today's my day, you know. I was feeling really well. I was feeling confident. So I was like, I want to take the bowlers on," he added.
