"Bowlers are game changers": Shubman Gill in awe of Mohammed Siraj after GT beat SRH

Shubman Gill's Gujarat Titans (GT) were seen in action in the 19th match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 against the Pat Cummins-led Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH).

Team Gujarat Titans won the Indian Premier League 2025 match against Team Sunrisers Hyderabad by 7 wickets at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Uppal, Hyderabad on Sunday, April 6.

Also Read: Watch: 4, 4, 6, 6! Washington Sundar destroys Simarjeet Singh, recreates his sensational Gabba six

The chat between me and Washi was that we wanted to build up a partnership - Shubman Gill

Bowling first in the match, GT restricted SRH to 152/8, thanks to Mohammed Siraj's 4-wicket haul and other bowlers' good performance. Chasing the target, they were reduced to 2/16 before Shubman Gill and Washington Sundar stitched up a 90-run partnership that helped GT complete the run-chase in 16.4 overs.

During the post-match presentation ceremony, GT skipper Shubman Gill said that the bowlers are the real game-changers in T20 format and he also spoke about his partnership with Washington Sundar. Shubman Gill asserted:

"Bowlers are game-changers, you know. In this format, everyone talks about batting and big-hitting, but we believe that in this format, the matches are won by bowlers.

"Not really. You still need to play good cricketing shots along the ground. The chat between me and Washi was that we wanted to build up a partnership and play some shots whenever it was required."

Definitely. I think he was very close to play vs Mumbai Indians as well - Shubman Gill on Washington Sundar

Shubman Gill further lauded Washington Sundar and revealed that he was supposed to play against the Mumbai Indians, but that didn't happen. He elaborated:

"(On Washington Sundar) Definitely. I think he was very close to play vs Mumbai Indians as well. He was padded up the whole game. He was about to go in but with the impact player rule, it gave us the opportunity to play an extra bowler. His knock today was simply fantastic. There was no conversation as such between us. We wanted to build up a partnership and then take the game away from there."

Shubman Gill also showered high praise on premier pacer Mohammed Siraj for his exceptional bowling performance against SRH. He stated:

"(On Mohammed Siraj) The energy that he brings in his bowling and fielding is infectious you know. When you are playing against him, you definitely want that guy in your team. When he is in your team, the vibe in the team is completely different."

How did GT perform in the previous completed IPL match against SRH?

The last IPL match between the Gujarat Titans and the Sunrisers Hyderabad was washed out. Talking about their previous completed match, Gujarat Titans showcased a clinical all-round performance to defeat Sunrisers Hyderabad by seven wickets.

After being asked to bowl first, GT bowlers set the tone early and then Mohit Sharma showcased a masterclass in death bowling, picking up 3/25 in his four overs.

Spinners Noor Ahmad and Rashid Khan also bowled extremely well in the middle overs, while Umesh Yadav and Azmatullah Omarzai also chipped in wickets. The Titans kept picking wickets at regular intervals and restricted SRH to 162/8.

With the bat, Wriddhiman Saha gave them a flying start with a 13-ball 25, and Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan further stabilized the innings. Gill scored 36 runs off 28, while Sudharsan amassed 45 runs off 36 deliveries.

In the end, David Miller showcased his finishing prowess, remaining unbeaten on 44 runs off just 27 balls with four fours and two sixes to take GT past the finish line in 19.1 overs alongside Vijay Shankar.