B. Sai Sudharsan has been in a rich vein of form over the last few months. The Gujarat Titans opener had a 700-plus run season for the second IPL edition in succession and finished as the league’s third-highest scorer (722 runs).

“It was my best IPL so far,” Sai Sudharsan told The Hindu. “I didn’t score much in the first few games. I won’t say it was challenging; it was interesting, where the belief, trust and everything increased day by day rather than me becoming doubtful.

“When you are scoring, it is easier to believe in yourself. But when you don’t, are you still trusting the process? Mentally, are you still thinking about not scoring in the previous match? So, in those ways, I learnt a lot — to not take the past into a game,” he added.

The Tamil Nadu batter made his Test debut in England last year and has had an up-and-down start to his fledgling career in whites. But, he felt that it had taught him valuable lessons.

Mental approach

“In Tests, even a small weakness will be challenged. As a batter, you have to keep improving in all those small things. At the same time, there is not much time to do so. You have to be smart enough to pick things and evolve,” the 24-year-old remarked.

“I feel it is all about owning that place. I could have owned it a bit more and been a bit freer [in my approach]. The more I do that, the more I can bring out the best version of myself. A little bit of that happened during the Afghanistan Test match.”

Seamless transition

Post IPL, Sai Sudharsan seamlessly transitioned into red-ball cricket with an 81 against Afghanistan in the one-off Test before striking two centuries for India-A in the recent tour of Sri Lanka. Considering India is set to travel to the island nation for a two-Test series next month, he couldn’t have asked for better preparation.

“Because of the strong breeze, the line of the ball changes quite a lot. Experiencing that was really valuable. You can’t commit too early and judge the line and length. You have to judge the ball as late as possible,” he explained about the things he picked up in the two India-A matches.

Even as he looks towards less hectic weeks, when he will appear in a few TNCA first division league games, Sai Sudharsan has identified the areas to work on.

“The first is from a physical perspective. I want to become stronger, leaner and fitter in terms of my movement and recovery. I want to continue fine-tuning my game against spin and understanding my footwork for the challenges ahead,” he said before signing off.

Derided for not matching potential with performance in the past, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) emphatically put those old ghosts to rest. Having won the Indian Premier League (IPL) title last year, RCB did one better this year, and retained the championship. A commanding display over Gujarat Titans in the final at Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium on Sunday ensured that RCB joined the likes of Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Mumbai Indians, teams that have won the title for two consecutive years. Ever since the league’s inception in 2008, the Bengaluru squad tended to flourish in spurts and then fade away. Three finals were made too prior to 2025, and in all those summit clashes, RCB choked. Last year, however, a turnaround was effected but as Rajat Patidar’s men exulted, the moment turned tragic with 11 fans losing their lives in a stampede outside the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. In the latest edition, RCB maintained remarkable consistency and while Patidar marshalled his resources, Virat Kohli, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Krunal Pandya and Josh Hazlewood chipped in. Fittingly, Patidar dedicated the triumph to the 11 fans who passed away. Meanwhile, Titans led by Shubman Gill, ran into a stronger outfit in the final and could not cash in on the advantage of playing at their home ground.

Having commenced on March 28, the IPL with 10 teams and 74 matches, had a bloated air and at times viewer interest dipped. The cricket, though, was from the top-drawer of T20 cricket as batters muscled sixes. The leading star was Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who belied his 15 summers. The Rajasthan Royals’ player is one for the future and there is talk of the selectors fast-tracking him into the national squad. Just as Sachin Tendulkar made his international debut at 16, Sooryavanshi too seems set to join that space of young talent pursuing higher glory. For now, a spot in T20I beckons even as the youngster is keen to play Tests too. Just as RCB, Titans, Sunrisers Hyderabad and Rajasthan Royals made it to the play-offs, legacy units such as CSK, Mumbai Indians and Kolkata Knight Riders fell by the wayside. A churn is on the cards and Rishabh Pant has already relinquished his captaincy with the Lucknow Super Giants. India, the reigning T20 champion, has enough talent as was evident through the IPL. The club against country debate too stirred up as England speedster Jofra Archer’s IPL contract overlapped with the one that he has with The England and Wales Cricket Board. The IPL is a massive sporting brand but it should not cannibalise traditional cricket.

In a safety scare for the Gujarat Titans players and support staff, they had to be evacuated from the team bus after a short circuit caused a breakdown of the vehicle while it was ferrying them back to their hotel after the IPL final loss to Royal Challenge Bengaluru in Ahmedabad.

PTI has learned that the team members, who are all safe and unhurt despite smoke spreading inside the bus, waited on the road for a short while before another bus was arranged to take them to the hotel.

The incident added to a miserable night for GT as they had earlier gone down to Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the IPL final by five wickets in Ahmedabad on Sunday (May 31, 2026).

It was also a continuation of their tough travel itinerary as GT had to travel from Dharamsala to Mullanpur on May 27 to play the Qualifier 2 against Rajasthan Royals on May 29.

However, their scheduled departure to Ahmedabad on May 30 was inordinately delayed because of inclement weather in Mullanpur. GT reached their home base late on Saturday (May 30) evening.

Was fatigue a reason for the Titans’ meek surrender to RCB in the IPL final?

“I don’t want to take away from the fact that RCB have won by simply stating that we’ve had this number of games in these short days and we’re fatigued and that’s not really what we’re about,” said Vikram Solanki, GT’s Director of Cricket, in the post-match press conference.

“Admittedly, it (155/8) was a below par total but they showed great fight to try and defend it. We might make an assessment of what we might have done differently, that’s a given. But I think you’ve got to accept that the opposition sometimes play well as well,” he added.

Rajasthan Royals’ skipper Riyan Parag won the toss and opted to bat against Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 2 of Indian Premier League on Friday (May 29, 3036).

GT made one change and brought back R Sai Kishore, while RR are playing an unchanged XI.

Teams

Rajasthan Royals: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Riyan Parag (c), Donovan Ferreira, Dasun Shanaka, Ravindra Jadeja, Jogra Archer, Nandre Burger, Brijesh Sharma, Yash Raj Punja.

Gujarat Titans: Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill (c), Jos Buttler (wk), Nishant Sindhu, Washington Sundar, Jason Holder, Rashid Khan, Ravisrinivasan Sai Kishore, Kagiso Rabada, Prasidh Krishna, Mohammed Siraj.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru skipper Rajat Patidar said that opening batter Phil Salt was close to returning to action but added that the call on whether he will play IPL 2026 Qualifier 1 against Gujarat Titans was yet to be taken.

The Englishman had left for the U.K. after suffering a finger injury in the game against Delhi Capitals on April 18. Salt was set to rejoin the squad ahead of the playoffs but he was not present during practice on the eve of the game. “Salt is fit. He is under observation. He has been participating in a few drills but we haven’t decided on our playing XI yet. We will look at the pitch and decide,” Patidar told reporters on Monday (May 25, 2026).

Jacob Bethell deputised for his compatriot before he was ruled out due to a left ring-finger injury. Venkatesh Iyer opened the batting in Bethell’s absence and contributed a rapid 44 against Sunrisers Hyderabad. He had also filled in for Patidar in the middle-order during the contest against Punjab Kings. Patidar hailed Venkatesh’s versatility with the bat, which has allowed the team to slot him in at any spot.

“I have known Venky since childhood. He has a great attitude and is ready to bat anywhere in the order. He was a main player at Kolkata Knight Riders but when he came here, he didn’t get a lot of chances in the beginning. He accepted that and ensured he was prepared when the chance came to cash in,” the captain said.

The evidence from the three IPL matches played in Dharamsala this season suggests that it has evolved into a high-scoring venue where fast bowlers still remain relevant, a combination that could shape Tuesday’s (May 26, 2026) Qualifier 1 between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Gujarat Titans.

The numbers tell the story clearly. Across the three completed matches at the HPCA Stadium this season, every first-innings total has either touched or crossed 200.

So while Dharamsala continues to offer seam movement and bounce, the old perception of it being a purely bowler-friendly venue no longer fully applies. The true carry has created conditions where batters can dominate once they survive the opening overs.

What remains unique, however, is how the ball behaves early in the innings.

At roughly 1,450 metres above sea level, Dharamsala remains one of the few Indian grounds where fast bowlers consistently get conventional swing alongside steep carry. The cooler, thin mountain air helps seamers hit hard lengths effectively, especially with the new ball.

But unlike venues where assistance for pacers translates into low totals, Dharamsala’s quick outfield and even bounce allows batters to recover rapidly after the initial movement. That pattern has repeated itself in all three matches this season: wickets and play-and-miss chances in the powerplay followed by heavy scoring once the ball softened.

The tactical battle in Qualifier 1 may therefore depend on which side maximises the first six overs with the ball.

On current evidence, RCB appear to hold a slight edge in those conditions.

Their pace attack, led by Bhuvneswar Kumar and Josh Hazlewood, is built more around control, swing and hard-length execution. These are attributes that have historically worked in Dharamsala. Bowlers capable of moving the ball under lights and varying pace intelligently at the death have enjoyed success here even in high-scoring games.

Against Punjab Kings, RCB could defend 222 because their seamers kept striking during the chase.

GT’s attack, meanwhile, arguably possesses greater raw pace, which the extra carry in Dharamsala could amplify. But one factor that may reduce their usual advantage is the limited role of spin at this venue. Rashid Khan is usually effective but this pitch will test him.

Statistical trends from recent matchesin Dharamshala show pacers accounting for the overwhelming majority of wickets, with teams rarely turning extensively to spin in decisive phases.

Another significant trend is toss dominance.

Chasing sides have won two of the three matches this season, largely because batting becomes easier once the ball loses shine and dew settles in. That could make bowling first the preferred option again on Tuesday night.

Overall, Qualifier 1 is unlikely to be a traditional “bowler’s match” despite Dharamsala’s reputation. The surface now rewards aggressive batting far more than before, but it still offers enough early movement to keep fast bowlers central to the contest.

In that regard, RCB’s more rounded seam attack may give them a marginal advantage over GT in exploiting the venue’s most decisive phase: the powerplay.

Chennai Super Kings’ yellow outnumbered Gujarat Titans’ cosmic blue in the Narendra Modi Stadium stands, but it was the home team that handsomely outscored the visiting side on Thursday (May 21, 2026).

GT’s 89-run victory not only brightened its Qualifier 1 chances but also knocked out the five-time champion from IPL 2026.

True to its form and fame, the Titans top-order delivered the goods. Sai Sudharsan (84, 53b, 7×4, 4×6), Shubman Gill (64, 37b, 7×4, 3×6), and Jos Buttler (57 n.o., 27b, 5×4, 4×6) displayed batsmanship of the highest order as the hosts amassed 229 for four.

The GT openers began with their typical elegance, hitting the first six only in the last over of the PowerPlay. The second phase of the innings, however, had more power-hitting. While Gill’s first six off Noor Ahmad placed him in the 6000-run club in T20s, the second maximum off the Afghan spinner signalled the GT captain’s 23-ball half-century.

Gurjapneet Singh could have removed Gill had CSK gone for a review for caught-behind. The Super Kings players’ reaction when replays confirmed that the 26-year-old had caught an edge encompassed the story of the match.

Sai Sudharsan quickly shifted gears as GT reached the 100-run mark in the 10th over. It was also the 10th time Sai Sudharsan and Gill breached the three-figure barrier as partners, putting them level with the Royal Challengers Bengaluru duo of Virat Kohli and A.B. de Villiers for most 100-plus stands in the IPL.

Gill’s departure in the 13th over did not affect the scoring rate. In fact, Buttler only enhanced it; his brutal range-hitting provided the finishing kick to GT’s innings.

The run-chase — which started with Super Kings being reduced to 29 for three inside three overs and 63 for five in seven — was virtually non-existent before Shivam Dube’s 17-ball 47 (4×4, 4×6) injected some life into the pursuit.

However, once Dube was sent back by Rashid Khan with the scoreboard reading 116 for six, CSK’s fate was all but sealed. The early damage inflicted by Mohammed Siraj (three for 26) and Kagiso Rabada (three for 32) proved too much as the Chennai outfit was bundled out for 140.

Gujarat Titans’ fabulous five-match winning run may have come to an end with its 29-run loss against Kolkata Knight Riders. But Shubman Gill & Co. can take heart from the fact that they are playing their final IPL 2026 league fixture — after having already qualified for the playoffs — against Chennai Super Kings, the very same team they dismantled to kick off the hot streak.

The landscape has shifted considerably since GT and CSK last met in Chennai on April 26, when both teams had six points after seven games each.

While GT (13 games, 16 points) has given itself a legitimate chance of making the cut for Qualifier 1, the five-time champion’s hit-and-miss campaign (13 matches, 12 points) has resulted in it needing an NRR-boosting victory and many other results going its way to sneak into the knockouts.

Armed with a lethal pace battery and a three-game winning streak at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Titans will hold the edge over Super Kings when they meet in Ahmedabad on Thursday (May 21, 2026).

No other team’s fast bowlers have taken more wickets at any venue this season than GT’s seamers in Ahmedabad. With 42 scalps at an average of 17.69 and economy of 8.12, Titans’ speed merchants should be given due credit for their bullish run.

CSK batting coach Michael Hussey is aware of the challenge and wants his pacers to trust their individuality.

“There’s no point in trying to bowl like Kagiso Rabada, Mohammed Siraj or Jason Holder. They might be a different type of bowler. The most important thing is to bowl to your strengths. The pitch here has provided good pace and bounce, and GT has played it well. Our bowlers, too, will enjoy bowling here. However, it’s important that we don’t try to be like them,” Hussey said on Wednesday.

The ball is in the players’ court now.

Facing contrasting scenarios, Gujarat Titans (GT) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) will meet in a crucial fixture of the Indian Premier League (IPL) at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Saturday (May 16, 2026).

The second-positioned Shubman Gill-led GT will look to record another win and confirm its berth in the playoffs.

The eighth-spot holder, Ajinkya Rahane-captained KKR, which is returning home after spending three eventful weeks on the road, will be keen to win its remaining three matches as its chances of qualification hang by a thread.

KKR missed its injured spinner Varun Chakravarthy as it could not defend 192 in its last match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Because of his expertise to bowl in tandem with the reliable Sunil Narine and Anukul Roy to dry up the runs in the middle overs, the team would be eager to see Varun back in action.

Hard-working pacers Kartik Tyagi (16 wickets) and Vaibhav Arora should continue to shoulder responsibility. Aussie all-rounder Cameron Green will hope to provide the requisite balance.

KRR will depend on its top run-getter Angkrish Raghuvanshi (340 runs), Rinku Singh, Green, Finn Allen and Rahane in the batting department.

Having recorded five wins on the trot, GT will bank on its formidable bowling attack, including Kagiso Rabada (21), Rashid Khan, Prasidh Krishna, Jason Holder and Mohammed Siraj, to carry on the winning momentum and achieve its immediate target of securing a slot in the last-four.

Led by Sai Sudharsan (501), the GT batting, also including top performers such as Gill, Jos Buttler and Washington Sundar, is capable of putting up a challenging total.

While the Eden track is known for favouring the batters, some assistance for the bowlers cannot be ruled out.

Even though the purple-and-gold brigade will enjoy the home support, GT, due to its better head-to-head record and current form, seems to have the edge.