IPL 2024: ‘We were targeting to chase down 45 runs in three overs’, reveals GT skipper Gill
After Gujarat Titans (GT) chased down a stiff 197 against Rajasthan Royals in a last-ball thriller at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium on Wednesday evening, captain Shubman Gill revealed that the mindset had become to chase down 45 in last three overs, which was a gettable equation for them.
Gill set up the chase for Titans’ with his 72 off 44 balls. But after he fell, RR had become the favourites to get the win at home. But Rashid Khan came out to bat, with 40 runs needed off 15 balls and slammed an unbeaten 24 off 11 balls, with Rahul Tewatia chipping in via 22, to seal a three-wicket win coming on the last ball.
“We were targeting 45 in three overs and that is very much gettable. Fifteen runs per over (means) you just need two hits in the over and that was the mindset at that time. Mathematically, both batsmen need to score nine-ball 22 runs and if you think like that, okay, its three hits in nine balls.”
“If one of the batsmen goes berserk, you’ll see the match getting over in two three balls. (Impact player) definitely makes a difference, if you have an extra batter there. But it’s just the mindset (thinking of making 45 runs in three overs as needing just two hits an over) to make things more easy, and more simple,” said Gill after the match.
Gill had gone after RR’s spin duo of Ravichandran Ashwin and Yuzvendra Chahal. But leg-spinner Chahal outsmarted him in the 16th over and the right-handed batter said he would have liked to finish the match in GT’s favour.
“I would have loved to finish the game (by myself). But very happy with the way Rashid (Khan) bhai and Rahul (Tewatia) bhai finished the game for us. In the past couple of matches as well, I thought we dominated more than 50% of the game and the bad phase was we played really bad cricket and that’s why we lost.
“This game, we were there and thereabouts, we were a little bit behind the game and then winning the game on the last ball is always a great feeling. Thank you. When GT is playing, don’t think that, eh (over the feeling on the side being behind in the chase),” he said.
Apart from his finishing exploits, including hitting a four on the last ball off Avesh Khan, Rashid finished with figures of 1/18 from four overs, enough to get him Player of the Match award.
“I did not bowl much in the last three-four months after the surgery. I am still getting used to bowling in the middle. In the first few games, I was struggling a bit, especially with my line and length. I bowled a few good balls but inside I was not feeling it. There was no satisfaction. I was like no, no, that is not me.”
“I felt my grip was a bit off. But before the previous game, I had a good (net) session. I did spot bowling for about an hour and a half, which really helped me. More importantly, my fingers got used to the ball once again,” said Rashid.
Asked about the approach with bat, Rashid added, “Well, most pleasing was winning the game. Was struggling a bit with the bowling and was happy I was hitting the right areas, and that made me happier, and gave me energy in my batting.
“It is just a matter of hitting three or four sixes and that brings the run-rate down. You just have to be positive. The more positive you are thinking inside, the better the result comes out.”
GT, the IPL 2022 winners, are currently in sixth place in the points table and will be on rest mode till they face Delhi Capitals at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Wednesday evening.
