Matthew Hayden praises Gujarat Titans’ top-order and Rashid Khan after 77-run IPL win over Rajasthan Royals
Sanjeev Kumar | May 10, 2026 12:22 PM CST
Gujarat Titans batting coach Matthew Hayden commended his team's top-order batsmen and spinner Rashid Khan following their 77-run victory over Rajasthan Royals.
The match, held in Jaipur, marked GT's largest win in Indian Premier League history, handing the hosts their seventh loss in eight matches at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium.
Hayden described the top three batsmen, including skipper Shubman Gill, Sai Sudharsan, and Jos Buttler, as “apex predators” and highlighted the team's bowling strength. “It is a very good team. It is a dangerous bowling side, and that is what we have seen tonight. It can be a very destructive bowling side. I think we have just got so many apex predators at the top of the batting order, that one, two, three is such a solid unit,” he said. He also noted the team's versatility, mentioning the absence of Prasidh Krishna and the performance of Sai Kishore.
Hayden referred to the match as the first occasion where Gujarat Titans played cohesively as a complete unit, expressing confidence ahead of their upcoming fixture against Sunrisers Hyderabad in Ahmedabad. He warned SRH of GT’s consistency and momentum, saying: “Gujarat Titans have gone about this tournament their own way. They have constructed a line-up that revolves around consistency. Not exactly, you know, going to set the world on fire with star power, star dust. It is more about being in the game, staying in the game and being consistent in the game. And through this tournament, we have built momentum into this game as well.” He added: “SRH have got to watch out because we are playing with great confidence and we are starting to click as a unit. Plus, it is also our home venue as well. I mean, of the short time that the Gujarat Titans have been in this IPL, they have got the highest winning percentage.”
Speaking about his rapport with Sudharsan, Hayden said they share a connection as fellow left-handed openers and often discuss cricket over “a nice cup of hot masala chai” during practice: “I find that with Sai, there is a great connection that we have as fellow left-hand opening batters. And so what better way to discuss cricket than over a nice cup of hot masala chai. And we just tend to do a lap together, and he will talk about the things that he has confronted during the week. So it is just good to share those moments and, you know, take the time to reflect rather than just hitting more cricket balls and taking more catches and bowling more balls. I really enjoy that time with Sai.”
Sudharsan is currently the fifth-highest run-scorer in the tournament with 440 runs in 11 matches, averaging 40.00 and a strike rate of 157.70, including one century and four fifties. After a slow start, he has recently achieved a century and three fifties in his last five matches.
Hayden also lauded Rashid Khan as the competition's “X-Factor” and praised a particular delivery that clean bowled Donovan Ferreira as “a beauty”: “We all know he is an X factor in this competition. He is now arguably back to his best. You saw the zip on the wicket. The inability of batsmen to, like Donovan Ferreira who has been an incredible touch since playing, not picking, a leg spinner. For me, they’re the little signs that Rashid’s at his best. That ball was 110 kilometres per hour. That was a beauty. That would have got most batters out. So having him through the middle is very, very challenging for any opposition.” Rashid has taken 15 wickets in 11 matches this season, with an average of 22.60, an economy rate of 8.26, and best figures of 4/33.
In the match, GT batted first and established a 118-run opening partnership between Sudharsan, who scored 55 off 36 balls including six fours and two sixes, and Gill, who made 84 from 44 balls with nine fours and three sixes. Washington Sundar contributed an unbeaten 37 from 20 balls to help GT post a total of 229/4 in 20 overs. Brijesh Sharma was RR's leading wicket-taker with figures of 2/47.
During RR's chase, strong starts from Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (36 off 16 balls) and Dhruv Jurel (24 off 10 balls) were undermined by Rashid Khan's 4/33 and Jason Holder's 3/12, restricting RR to 152 all out in 16.3 overs.
Gujarat Titans currently hold second place in the points table with seven wins and four losses, while Rajasthan Royals are fifth with six wins and five losses, both teams having 12 points.
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