Gujarat Titans (GT) overpowered Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) with an eight-wicket triumph at their home ground. Following the match, GT captain Shubman Gill captivated fans with a mysterious seven-word post on X (formerly Twitter): “Eyes on the game, not the noise.”
While Gill remained tight-lipped about the post’s implication, speculation mounted among fans that the reference to 'noise' alluded to Virat Kohli’s expressive celebrations after his dismissal.
In the aftermath of the win, Captain Gill commended his team’s bowling performance, particularly during the critical first seven to eight overs, which paved the way for early breakthroughs.
Reflecting on the victory, Gill stated, "Restricting them to 170 was a commendable effort on this ground. The wicket offered something for the fast bowlers early on, so our plan was to capitalize by picking those crucial early wickets."
He also urged his team to remain resilient after missed fielding opportunities, emphasizing the importance of adapting to the conditions at hand.
The match began with GT winning the toss and electing to bowl. RCB faced early setbacks due to former team member Mohammed Siraj’s remarkable spell of 3/19. Despite being reduced to 42/4, Liam Livingstone (54) and Jitesh Sharma (33) forged a vital 52-run partnership.
Additionally, a resilient stand between Livingstone and Tim David (32) pushed RCB to a respectable 169/8 in their allotted overs. Sai Kishore (2/22) and Prasidh Krishna (1/26) also shone with the ball, strengthening GT's formidable start.
During GT’s chase, an early dismissal of captain Shubman Gill for 14 runs did little to deter the team’s momentum. Jos Buttler's explosive 73*, supported by Sai Sudharsan’s poised 49 and Sherfane Rutherford’s brisk 30*, guided GT to a comfortable victory with 13 balls to spare.
After back-to-back statement victories against champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK), RCB faltered at the onset of their home fixtures, leaving questions about their tactics and strategy as GT marched on with confidence and control.