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The Gujarat Titans (GT) present their top three batting group consisting of Shubman Gill, Sai Sudharsan and Jos Buttler as their most dependable batting combination for the Indian Premier League 2026 season. Their bowling attack which includes Rashid Khan Mohammed Siraj Kagiso Rabada Prasidh Krishna and Jason Holder together create a force that matches the strength of top T20 teams. The main issue for their team exists because they frequently lose control of matches while their existing planning methods and tactical approaches become their primary challenge.

The biggest problem with their auction strategy needs to be addressed but we should not discuss it yet. Their mistakes during the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) match need to be analyzed which begins with an examination of their team selection. For reasons that remain unclear they selected Manav Suthar instead of Sai Kishore who achieved 19 wickets through 15 matches during the previous season. Both players possess identical batting skills yet one player has already established himself as an IPL player. The team decided to select a player with less experience.

The team decides to release Glenn Phillips from his contract. The New Zealand player has not produced any batting results, which matches the performance of every GT middle-order player. He remains their best available option, especially after Tom Banton picked up an injury. The team possesses an inadequate middle-order batting group, which everyone acknowledges, yet they still chose to exclude him. Jason Holder deserves his place, but if he plays, he should replace Kagiso Rabada, who also handles the new ball duties.

Gujarat reached 160/2 in 15.3 overs but added only 45 runs in the next 27 balls. They fell short by at least 10 to 15 runs. The reason becomes clear when you look at their batting order. The team chose to send Washington Sundar to bat before their strongest hitters, who included Rahul Tewatia and Shahrukh Khan, as well as Jason Holder and Rashid Khan. Sundar scored 19 off 12 balls, while Holder smashed 23 off just 10.

Sundar may be a better batter overall but he does not possess finishing skills. His promotion to the batting order during the team's need for fast runs proved to be an unwise decision. The selection of Tewatia and Shahrukh for the starting lineup raises a fundamental question which requires an answer. The players need to explain their purpose because they cannot participate in battingduring the 16th inning. The players function as backup options for Buttler Gill and Sudharsan or they serve as extra players to complete the team roster.

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The team lost because they used their resources incorrectly. RCB required 35 runs from 30 balls at that time point after they reached 171 runs with 4 wickets down at 15 overs. The game had already reached its conclusion at that point. The length of the interruption occurred because of specific player matchups. Padikkal batted from the fourth to the thirteenth over throughout his time at the crease.

The batting order followed Jacob Bethell and then continued with Krunal Pandya. The Gujarat team understood that RCB had three left-handed players who would bat in their match. The team selected Suthar over Ashok Sharma but decided not to use him during the initial game period. His selection raised an unexpected question because he would have allowed runs to score against him. Why did the team choose to select him before the match started.