‘Chasing 131 shouldn’t have been a problem’ - Shubman Gill reflects on Titans’ failed run chase against Delhi Capitals

The 44th game of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 featured a low-scoring thriller between the defending champions Gujarat Titans and the David Warner-led Delhi Capitals at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Tuesday, May 2. 

Coming into bat first, Delhi fell prey to the brilliant bowling display of the defending champions. The David Warner-led side only managed to post 130 runs on the board after the first innings. Coming into bat, Gujarat got off to a horrid start to the run chase as both Wridhhiman Saha and Shubman Gill were dismissed quite early in the second innings.

Despite Hardik Pandya’s resilience and Rahul Tewatia’s late push, Gujarat were unable to emerge victorious, as Delhi won the game by five runs. After the disappointing defeat, Gill came to the front and opined that a target of 131 runs should have been easily chased by Gujarat. 

"The wicket wasn’t so bad. We bowled really well. We couldn’t stitch partnerships in the top order, which created pressure on lower order. The wicket was tough to bat, but with the kind of batting we have, chasing 131 shouldn’t have been a problem," Gill said in the post-match press conference.

As a player and a batter, we are all bound to have one off day: Gill

Gill, who is in sensational form at the ongoing cash-rich league, failed to impress against Delhi Capitals. With 339 runs in nine games so far, the 23-year-old only amassed six runs in seven deliveries against Delhi.

Furthermore, skipper Hardik Pandya did score a half-century, however, he failed to propel Gujarat over the finish line. Reflecting on Pandya's knock, Gill backed the skipper and opined that he just had an off day against Delhi.

"As a player and a batter, we are all bound to have one off day. It was just one of those off days where he backed himself, which every batter should. He backed himself to hit those runs, but DC bowlers bowled some good yorkers in the end," Shubman Gill said.