Shubman Gill cited a slight back spasm for not fielding during Gujarat Titans’ loss to Rajasthan Royals.
Gujarat Titans (GT) captain Shubman Gill revealed he was carrying a slight back spasm, which kept him from taking the field during the second innings against Rajasthan Royals (RR) at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur on April 28. Gill had earlier powered GT to a strong total, scoring a brilliant 84 off 50 balls, helping his side post 209/4 in 20 overs.
Despite his impressive batting performance, Gill did not return for the fielding innings. Veteran pacer Ishant Sharma replaced him as an Impact Player, while Rashid Khan stepped in to lead the side. Explaining his absence after the game, Gill told the broadcasters (via Cricbuzz):
“Felt a little back spasm in my back and we have a game couple of days after this, so the physio didn’t want to take a chance.”
GT are scheduled to play their next match against SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) on Friday, May 2, giving Gill a few days to recover. However, Gill’s effort with the bat was in vain as Rajasthan Royals produced a stunning run chase, hunting down the 210-run target in just 15.5 overs with eight wickets to spare. Reflecting on the defeat, Gill admitted that his bowlers struggled to contain the RR openers during the powerplay when they raced to 87/0.
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“They took the game away from us in the powerplay and credit to them for that. There were a couple of things that we could have done better but it’s very easy to sit out and say those things. Some chances came early our way, couldn’t grab those but in hindsight I think there are some areas that we need to work on as a group,” said Gill.
The star of the night was 14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi, who stole the show with a breathtaking 38-ball 101. He smashed his century in just 35 balls, recording the second-fastest ton in IPL history after Chris Gayle’s 31-ball effort. Suryavanshi also became the youngest-ever cricketer to score a T20 century. Gill praised the young prodigy, saying, “It was his day. His hitting was just tremendous and he made full use of his day.”
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