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Rabada's Tactical Brilliance Praised by Pujara After GT's Big Win

Cheteshwar Pujara praised Kagiso Rabada for his tactical bowling adjustment against Abhishek Sharma, calling it 'high-quality bowling'. Rabada took 3/28 as Gujarat Titans bowled out Sunrisers Hyderabad for 86, winning by 82 runs. Mohammed Siraj provided the early breakthrough, dismissing Travis Head for a duck. Earlier, Sai Sudharsan (61) and Washington Sundar (50) guided GT to 168/5.

Key Points: Rabada's High-Quality Bowling Stuns SRH: Pujara

  • Rabada takes 3/28 as GT bowls out SRH for 86
  • Pujara praises Rabada's tactical adjustment to Abhishek's shuffle
  • Siraj provides early breakthrough by dismissing Head for a duck
  • Sudharsan (61) and Sundar (50) power GT to 168/5
2 min read

'Rabada read Abhishek's movement perfectly, that was high-quality bowling': Pujara

Cheteshwar Pujara hails Kagiso Rabada's tactical bowling as GT beats SRH by 82 runs. Rabada took 3/28, while Siraj and Holder also starred.

"Rabada read Abhishek's movement perfectly, that was high-quality bowling - Cheteshwar Pujara"

New Delhi, May 13

Former India batter Cheteshwar Pujara praised Kagiso Rabada for his smart tactical adjustment against Abhishek Sharma, calling it 'high-quality bowling' after the Gujarat Titans' commanding 82-run win over the Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

Rabada once again starred with the ball for the Gujarat Titans, finishing with figures of 3/28 in four overs as SRH were bowled out for just 86 while chasing 168. The South African pacer now has 21 wickets in IPL 2026 and continues to play a key role in GT's rise to the top of the points table.

"Abhishek Sharma tried to create room on that delivery where he got dismissed, which batters often do when the ball is quick and bouncing. But credit to Kagiso Rabada. He read Abhishek's movement," Pujara told Jio Hotstar.

"Originally, Rabada was bowling outside the fourth stump line. When Abhishek shuffled across early, Rabada adjusted his line. He followed the batter and cramped him for room. The result was an inside edge onto the stumps. That was high-quality bowling," he added.

Rabada struck after Mohammed Siraj had already provided the ideal start by dismissing Travis Head for a duck in the opening over. The fast bowler then removed both Abhishek and Ishan Kishan to leave Hyderabad in deep trouble inside the powerplay.

Pujara also pointed out how the Ahmedabad surface assisted the fast bowlers with additional bounce and pace.

"The ball also hit Abhishek's glove before taking the inside edge of his bat, which shows the ball bounced more than expected. There was a bit of extra zip off the wicket as well," Pujara said.

After Rabada's fiery spell, Jason Holder ensured there was no recovery for SRH with figures of 3/20, while Prasidh Krishna claimed two wickets.

Earlier, composed half-centuries from Sai Sudharsan (61) and Washington Sundar (50) guided the Gujarat Titans to 168/5 in 20 overs, a total which proved to be too much for the visitors on a tough wicket.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

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Priya S
Abhishek Sharma needs to learn from this dismissal. He's been trying that cross-bat shot too often and it's costing SRH. Our domestic players must adapt to bounce - the Ahmedabad pitch is different from the flat tracks we're used to seeing.
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Vikash M
Great analysis from Pujara - shows why he's one of the sharpest cricketing brains in the country. That ball hitting the glove before the edge tells you everything about the extra bounce. But honestly, SRH's top order looked clueless against genuine pace. Rabada and Siraj are making it too easy for GT.
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Arun Y
Rabada has been the best overseas pacer in IPL 2026 no doubt. 21 wickets already and such control in powerplay - reminds me of peak Steyn. GT management deserve credit for creating this bowling unit. Our Indian pacers like Prasidh and Siraj are also stepping up big time. 🇮🇳
J
James A
Pujara's commentary is always insightful. He understands the technical battle between bat and ball so well. Rabada's ability to read the batter's movement and adjust his line mid-over is what separates great bowlers from good ones. GT vs SRH was a masterclass in bowling on a challenging pitch.
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Sunita J
While Rabada was brilliant, I'm a bit worried about SRH's batting depth. They keep relying on one or two players and when those fail, the whole innings collapses. 86 all out is just not acceptable at this level. Maybe the management should look at some local talent from our domestic circuit to strengthen the middle order.

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