Gujarat Titans faced a big 99-run defeat against Mumbai Indians at the Narendra Modi Stadium. After the match, GT’s batting coach Matthew Hayden spoke about the team’s performance and mainly pointed out problems in the bowling, especially in the death overs.
Death Overs Bowling Became the Turning Point
Matthew Hayden clearly said that the last few overs of bowling cost Gujarat Titans the match.
In the final overs, GT bowlers gave away too many runs:
| Bowler | Over | Runs Given |
|---|---|---|
| Ashok Sharma | 18th | 26 runs |
| Mohammed Siraj | 19th | Expensive over |
| Prasidh Krishna | 20th | 22 runs |
GT conceded 73 runs in the last four overs, which made a huge difference.
Hayden said this level of bowling is not expected from experienced players. He also mentioned that this issue has happened in multiple matches this season, especially with Prasidh Krishna, who has taken wickets but has not been economical.
Tilak Varma Changed the Game for MI
While GT struggled with bowling, Mumbai Indians got a big performance from Tilak Varma.
He played a brilliant innings and completely shifted the momentum in MI’s favor. On a pitch that was not very easy for batting, his knock made the difference.
His performance helped MI reach a strong total and put GT under pressure from the start.
Kagiso Rabada Impressed with the Ball
Despite the loss, Hayden praised Kagiso Rabada for his bowling.
- Picked early wickets
- Troubled top-order batters
- Bowled with pace above 140 km/h
Rabada removed key MI batters early and gave GT a strong start in the match. Hayden called his performance outstanding and said he has been one of the best bowlers in the tournament so far.
Also See : Hardik Pandya’s Captaincy Under Question After MI’s Big Win – Manjrekar Shares Strong View
Coaching Team Plans to Fix Bowling Issues
Hayden also shared that head coach Ashish Nehra will work closely with the bowlers after this defeat.
- Young bowler Ashok Sharma needs guidance
- Experienced players like Prasidh Krishna need better execution
- Focus will be on improving death-over bowling
Hayden also said that on this pitch, a score of around 175 was par, which means GT needed to do better both with bat and ball.
Points Table Impact and Next Match
This defeat has affected Gujarat Titans’ position in the standings.
- GT’s winning momentum has stopped
- Now level on points with Sunrisers Hyderabad and Delhi Capitals
- Next match is against Royal Challengers Bangalore
It will be an important game for GT to bounce back.
Final Thoughts
Mumbai Indians dominated the match with strong batting and controlled bowling. Tilak Varma’s innings played a key role in setting up the win.
For Gujarat Titans, the main concern is their death-over bowling. If they improve execution in the final overs, they can return stronger in the next matches.
