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A dominant Gujarat Titans continued their impressive run in IPL 2025, hammering Sunrisers Hyderabad by seven wickets in a one-sided contest in Hyderabad on Sunday, April 6, 2025.
After GT bowlers bundled out SRH for a modest 152, the young duo of Washington Sundar and Shubman Gill led the charge with the bat, powering GT to an emphatic victory with 20 balls to spare.
Both had a point to prove. Gill was keen to reassert his credentials after an indifferent start to the season, while Sundar made a resounding statement against his former franchise.
While Captain Gill top-scored with 61, it was Washington Sundar's blistering knock that proved to be the turning point for the Titans.
Having sat out the first three matches, Sundar finally got his opportunity for GT -- not with the ball, but in a key role with the bat.
Sent in at the crucial No. 4 position, following Sai Sudharsan and Jos Buttler's early dismissals, Sundar had a point to prove, especially to SRH, who had barely utilised him the previous season.
He played just two matches in the 2024 season for SRH, claiming just one wicket before he was released.
The introduction of the Impact Player rule over the past couple of seasons has significantly affected the utility of all-rounders like Sundar, often denying them opportunities with either bat or ball.
So, it was natural that when an opportunity came along, he made sure to grab it with both hands.
On Sunday, when the chance came, the 25 year old, playing his ninth IPL season, seized it with authority. He launched into Simarjeet Singh in the final over of the Powerplay, hammering two sixes and two fours to take 20 off the over. From a shaky 28/2, GT suddenly found momentum going into the middle overs.
His aggression allowed Gill to settle in and play the anchor's role on a pitch where timing the ball wasn't always easy.
Even after the Powerplay, the duo maintained a healthy scoring rate, cruising past the 100 run mark by the 13th over.
Sundar looked poised for a maiden IPL fifty but fell on 49 off 29 balls -- a controversial catch by Aniket Verma off Mohammed Shami ending his stay.
The television umpire gave it out despite inconclusive replays, leaving Sundar visibly frustrated after a knock that included five boundaries and two sixes.
His innings was the biggest takeaway for the Titans. From being perceived as a top-heavy unit, GT now has a dependable middle-order option -- someone who can not only accelerate with the bat but also offer control with the ball when needed.
Shubman Gill will breathe a sigh of relief after finally getting a substantial score under his belt.
Gill will want to score a mountain of runs at a good strike rate to force his way back into the Indian T20 team.
Despite a record-shattering IPL 2023 (890 runs in 17 matches with four centuries), Gill's form dipped in 2024. He scored 426 runs at a healthy strike rate of 147 but was criticised for his conservative approach in the Powerplay, eventually losing his India T20 spot to aggressive alternatives like Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson.
This year, he began with a string of promising starts but failed to convert, twice falling in the 30s.
The run chase against SRH proved to be the ideal platform -- the modest target allowed him to take his time, while Sundar's counter-attack reduced the pressure.
After hitting one just boundary off the first 12 balls faced, the 25 year old broke free with back to back fours off Mohammed Shami in the fifth over.
Washington Sundar's counter-attacking proved to be a big help as Gill no longer needed to hunt for the boundaries and was content to play second fiddle to the left-hander.
He was quick to pick the length off spinners, hitting a boundary each off Zeeshan Ansari and Kamindu Mendis in successive overs. He showed his class with a handsome cover drive off Pat Cummins for a boundary -- easily the shot of the day.
Gill completed his fifty in great style from 35 balls, slashing Ansari behind point for a boundary in the 13th over as he took the responsibility on himself to take his team after Sai Sudharsan and Jos Buttler returned to the dugout.
Young Ansari received further punishment as Gill showed his range, playing the sweep for a four followed by a beautiful inside out chip shot over the covers for a four.
Fittingly, Gill hitting the winning runs when he clipped his opposite number Pat Cummins off his pads for one to take his team to a convincing win.
One of GT's crucial contributors this season has been Sherfane Rutherford, used smartly as an Impact Player. The West Indian has added much-needed firepower to the Titans' middle and lower order.
In the first game, he took GT close in a huge run chase of 244 against Punjab Kings, stroking 46 from 28 balls, followed by cameos against RCB and SRH in the last two games.
With 129 runs at a strike rate of 176 across four matches, Rutherford has become a key finisher in a side previously lacking late-overs muscle.
Coming in at the fall of Sundar's wicket, Rutherford ensured that the momentum didn't drop. He went after the short ball from Mohammed Shami only to see the top edge fly over the wicketkeeper for a four.
But the West Indian smashed everything off the middle in the next over. Left-arm spinner Abhishek Sharma got a proper hammering at the hands of the explosive left-hander.
Rutherford lofted the first ball over the covers for a four and smashed the next through the same region for the same result. He then slog swept the third ball over midwicket to make it a hat-trick of fours before slashing the fourth ball past point to make it four fours in the over.
It is not secret that Rutherford loves batting against spin, especially left-armers as can be seen from the stats below.
Photographs: BCCI
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