Gill Blames Poor Fielding and Pressure Errors After Gujarat Titans’ Heavy Defeat to RCB in IPL Qualifier 1

Dharamshala, May 2026 : Gujarat Titans captain Shubman Gill admitted that poor fielding and mistakes in pressure situations played a major role in his team’s crushing 92-run defeat against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Qualifier 1 of IPL 2026 at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium on Tuesday.

The defeat denied Gujarat a direct entry into the IPL final, while defending champions RCB advanced to their second successive final after posting a record-breaking 254 for 5 and bowling Gujarat out for 162.

Speaking after the match, Gill acknowledged that Gujarat Titans had remained competitive until the middle phase of the contest but failed to capitalise due to sloppy execution in the field.

“I think we were going pretty well up until the 12th or 13th over. I don’t think our fielding was at par. We dropped a couple of catches, and our ground fielding was also not up to the mark,” Gill said.

RCB captain Rajat Patidar took full advantage of those missed opportunities, producing a sensational unbeaten 93 off just 39 deliveries. Gujarat’s fielding woes were further compounded by misfields and no-balls, which allowed RCB to accelerate heavily during the middle and death overs and eventually register the highest total in IPL playoff history.

Gill admitted the match was one his side would prefer to move on from quickly as they prepare for another crucial knockout fixture.

“This is one of those games that we would like to forget and start over in Mohali,” he remarked.

Despite the disappointing performance, the Gujarat skipper insisted that the team places significant emphasis on fielding standards during training sessions and team discussions.

“It’s definitely something that we address in team meetings and practice sessions. The intensity was there, but in pressure situations, we were not up to the mark,” Gill added.

Chasing an imposing target of 255 on a batting-friendly Dharamshala surface, Gujarat Titans struggled from the very beginning. Gill himself was dismissed cheaply for just two runs by experienced pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar, putting the side immediately under pressure.

Jos Buttler attempted to provide some momentum with a brisk 29, but wickets continued to fall regularly. Gujarat’s innings never truly recovered despite a fighting effort from Rahul Tewatia, who played a lone hand with a spirited 68 off 43 balls, striking eight fours and four sixes.

Gill, however, believed the conditions were still favourable enough for a successful chase if Gujarat had managed a stronger start during the power play overs.

“It’s all about getting a good start. On a ground like this, where the ball travels and the outfield is quick, if we had a good power play, any target could have been chaseable with the way the wicket was playing,” he explained.

The Gujarat captain also reacted to the unusual dismissal of opener Sai Sudharsan during the chase. Sudharsan lost grip of his bat while attempting a shot, and the bat accidentally bounced back onto the stumps, dislodging the bails and ending his innings in bizarre fashion.

“You don’t see that kind of dismissal very often, so that was very unfortunate,” Gill said.

Despite the heavy defeat, Gujarat Titans remain alive in the tournament and will now shift focus to their next knockout match in Mohali, where they will battle for another chance to reach the IPL 2026 final.

Gill stressed that the team would need to recover quickly, improve execution under pressure, and deliver a stronger all-round performance in the upcoming clash if they hope to keep their title ambitions alive.

Team Maverick