Shubman Gill's blazing 104 off 53 balls and B Sai Sudharsan's composed 58 off 32 deliveries powered Gujarat Titans into the IPL 2026 final on 30 May, as the pair's 167-run opening stand dismantled Rajasthan Royals' target of 214/6 with eight balls to spare in Qualifier 2 at the PCA New International Cricket Stadium, New Chandigarh. Gujarat sealed a seven-wicket victory and will face defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the title clash in Ahmedabad on Sunday.

A Partnership Built on Hard Work

Gujarat Titans director of cricket Vikram Solanki was effusive in his praise for the opening duo after the match, crediting years of sustained effort as the bedrock of the partnership. 'I thought all of their qualities were on display today. And it's been a good number of years that that partnership has been flourishing. It is on the back of a lot of hard work,' Solanki told reporters at the post-match press conference.

He reserved particular admiration for Gill, who struck his fifth IPL century at a strike rate of over 196. 'I can only imagine all of the work that Shubman has put in throughout his career to get to where he is as far as his batting is concerned. He's an exceptional young man,' Solanki said. 'And sometimes you have to realise he's still a young man. And to be playing the cricket that he is, to be batting the way he is, is just phenomenal.'

Sudharsan's Classical Aggression

Solanki was equally emphatic about Sudharsan's contribution, cautioning against misreading the left-hander's textbook technique as a lack of intent. 'Sai is no less so. He might be a little younger in his journey, but you can see that he takes a fine example from Shubman and understands that actually his skills are what you and I might view as batsmanship, the sort of traditional form of batting,' he said.

'But there is no doubt in my mind that if a situation requires them to up the run rate and the wicket actually suits them playing that way, then they can adapt,' Solanki added. The 167-run stand was the highest opening partnership of IPL 2026's knockout stage.

What Makes the Duo Stand Out

According to Solanki, it is the pair's versatility across conditions and opposition attacks that elevates them above comparable opening combinations in the tournament. 'I think that's their finest quality, their ability to adapt, given any sort of situation, given any wicket, given any opposition. That along with the fact that they have an immense appetite for run-scoring. Good habits to have,' he said.

Gill's century effectively neutralised a Rajasthan Royals total built around Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's brilliant 96 and a late assault from Donovan Ferreira.

Road to the Final

With the win, Gujarat Titans advance to the IPL 2026 final in Ahmedabad, where they will take on Royal Challengers Bengaluru — a side they will be eager to dethrone. The pressure-knockout setting of Qualifier 2 only underscores the reliability of the Gill-Sudharsan combination when it matters most. All eyes will be on whether the pair can deliver one more decisive platform on the biggest stage of the season.