April 3, 2025: After Gujarat Titans secured an impressive eight-wicket victory over Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the ongoing IPL 2025, Sai Sudharsan shared his thoughts on the team’s successful chase and the crucial contributions made by key players like Jos Buttler. Sudharsan spoke candidly during the post-match press conference about how Buttler’s experience played a pivotal role in stabilizing the middle overs and guiding the team to victory.
According to Sudharsan, Buttler’s ability to keep the innings steady in difficult conditions was crucial for the team’s successful chase. He credited Buttler’s vast experience and cricketing knowledge, stating, “I think it might be probably because of the left-right combination and having a bit more experience in number 3 and number 4 as you can see. I feel Buttler is bringing in a lot of experience and a lot of knowledge in his back, which is helping us to settle or stabilize the middle overs and have an excellent last five overs. It was excellent, I feel, because the wicket was not as easy as we can see.”
Sudharsan also acknowledged that the wicket at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium was difficult to bat on, even for RCB in the first innings. However, he mentioned that the pitch did ease out a bit in the second innings, making it more manageable for the Titans. He further praised the bowling performances of Josh Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, saying, “The way Josh and Bhuvi Bhai bowled was extraordinary.”
The Gujarat Titans batter emphasized that the strategy during the chase was to take the game deep, given the challenging wicket conditions. “Even RCB found it a little difficult in the first innings, but I felt it slightly eased out in the second innings, and obviously, they started well. The conversation was a bit more of taking the game deep because right now the wicket was not playing the way we wanted,” he said.
When asked about the key to chasing a low total on such a difficult wicket, Sudharsan explained the importance of having wickets in hand. He pointed out that preserving wickets was essential when facing a strong bowling attack like RCB’s, especially on a tricky pitch. “Whenever we chase a low target in a difficult wicket and a bowling line-up like RCB, which is one of the best bowling attacks in the league this year, I feel the most important thing is wickets in hand,” he stated.
Sudharsan also reflected on his own growth as a player, crediting the practice sessions with Gujarat Titans’ high-quality international bowlers for his progress. He mentioned how these training sessions have helped him adapt to various conditions and improve his game. “The practice time I get here with the Titans, with the bowlers, all quality bowlers, all international bowlers, has helped me even from the nets. I feel that has helped me get exposed to difficult conditions. I have learned a lot in these three years, and playing for India and other leagues outside India has helped me understand the game better and the basics of the game as well.”
He also addressed the issue of dropped catches, acknowledging that fielding errors can happen, but the team works hard during practice to improve. Sudharsan believes the drops may be due to adapting to different grounds and lighting conditions. “I feel whoever dropped the catches, they are still good fielders, and we put a lot of work in fielding every day in practice. It’s just a matter of getting used to the grounds and different lighting conditions,” he concluded.
In the match, Gujarat Titans successfully chased down the target set by RCB, securing the win with ease thanks to contributions from experienced players like Buttler and a solid middle-order performance. Sudharsan’s insights into the team’s strategy and the importance of playing in difficult conditions shed light on the Gujarat Titans’ growing confidence as the IPL 2025 season progresses.