Following Sunrisers Hyderabad’s heavy 82-run loss to the Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad, head coach Daniel Vettori lauded the hosts’ bowling attack, calling the table-toppers a “formidable team.”
After half-centuries from Sai Sudharsan and Washington Sundar propelled GT to 168/5, their new-ball duo of Mohammed Siraj and Kagiso Rabada tore through SRH’s explosive batting lineup with pace and seam movement. The visitors were bowled out for just 86—their biggest IPL defeat in terms of runs—as GT climbed to the top of the standings with 16 points.
Speaking at the post-match press conference, Vettori acknowledged the difficulty of facing a side with five seamers and superstar spinner Rashid Khan. “GT put us under a lot of pressure. The opening pair of Rabada and Siraj set it up beautifully. They had five seamers plus Rashid—it was always going to be tough. We didn’t get the start we wanted, and their bowling was outstanding,” Vettori said.
He added that the Titans are a versatile side capable of scoring 220–230 when needed, but also adept at adapting to bowler-friendly conditions. “They are a formidable team. They can play any style, and that’s why they are on top of the table,” he said.
In the match, SRH won the toss and opted to bowl first. GT slipped to 26/2 before Sudharsan (61 off 44 balls, five fours, two sixes) rebuilt the innings with Nishant Sindhu (22 off 14, three fours, one six) and then Washington (50 off 33, seven fours, one six). GT finished at 168/5. For SRH, Praful Hinge (2/17) and Sakib Hussain (2/37) shone, while captain Pat Cummins conceded just 20 runs in his four overs.
In response, Siraj (1/11) struck first over, removing Travis Head for a duck. Rabada (3/28) then dismantled the top order—Abhishek Sharma (6), Ishan Kishan (11), and Smaran Ravichandran (9)—leaving SRH reeling at 32/4. Jason Holder (3/20) and Prasidh Krishna (2/23) cleaned up the tail as SRH folded for 86, with Cummins (19) top-scoring. Rabada was named Player of the Match for his sensational powerplay spell.
With eight wins and four losses, GT sit atop the table with 16 points, while SRH fall to third with seven wins and five losses (14 points).