Ahmedabad, April 5 (NationPress) Gujarat Titans' batting coach Matthew Hayden expressed that a sudden series of wickets transformed a seemingly assured victory into a 'devastating' defeat against the Rajasthan Royals. While chasing a target of 211, GT found themselves in a strong position multiple times, holding a score of 103 for 1 after ten overs. However, it was Ravi Bishnoi who shifted the momentum, as the home team plummeted from 107 for 1 in the 11th over to 161/7 by the 15th over.

In the closing overs, Rashid Khan (24), who took over the captaincy in the absence of Shubman Gill due to a muscle spasm, and Kagiso Rabada (23) nearly clinched the chase with their spirited contributions, but ultimately fell short by a mere six runs.

“During that crucial period, we lost four wickets for just ten runs. The game felt completely under our control. Washi Sundar faced a significant decision about whether to attack someone like Bishnoi, who was performing exceptionally well, especially post-wicket. This is a choice he may need to reassess to ensure our run chases are more cohesive, as the first 12 overs saw a lot of positive plays,” Hayden remarked in the post-match press conference.

“The run-out was another decision that Shahrukh and Rashid had to navigate at that moment. I haven’t analyzed that play in depth yet, but I’m keen to review it when we analyze our performance. From my viewpoint, it appeared that Jaddu deflected the ball quite a distance, making it challenging to recover, considering his speed and skill in handling the ball,” he continued.

“Two wickets fell consecutively at a critical juncture, which could have changed the outcome. After all, we lost by just six runs. Such details in T20 cricket, especially when pursuing a significant total, become crucial for our batting unit's decision-making,” Hayden noted.

Earlier, while bowling, Rabada took two wickets, with Mohammed Siraj, Ashok Sharma, Prasidh Krishna, and Rashid each contributing with one wicket to limit the Rajasthan Royals to 210/6.

However, Hayden acknowledged that key bowlers like Mohammed Siraj, Rabada, and Rashid were slightly off their game. “I sensed that many of our bowlers were not entirely in sync with their rhythm and particularly their line. Rabada's figures seemed more expensive than his actual bowling performance, which I thought was commendable, as was Rashid's,” he explained.

“Siraj simply had an off day. Upon reviewing his pitch map, it showed he was a bit too short and wide, which happens to even the best bowlers. Conversely, Rashid could have had a better outcome, potentially achieving more wickets,” he added.

“If anything, Rabada's deliveries tended to be a bit leg-stumpy and back of a length, with good-length balls being slightly too wide off-stump. However, it's a fine line we're discussing. Today's batters are intent on scoring quickly,” he concluded.

This defeat marked GT's second consecutive loss this season, placing them alongside the Kolkata Knight Riders and Chennai Super Kings with similar records.