Solanki ‘would have liked to have gone one step further’ but still ‘immensely pr’oud of GT’s IPL run
Reflecting on a Hard-Fought Campaign
The dust has settled on the IPL 2026 season, and for the Gujarat Titans, it was a journey defined by resilience, tactical shifts, and ultimately, a narrow defeat in the final against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Vikram Solanki, the director of cricket for the Titans, took a moment to look back at the campaign with a sense of perspective. While the result did not go their way, the mood within the camp remains one of quiet dignity and appreciation for the effort put forth by the squad.
Solanki was quick to acknowledge the quality of the opposition. In his post-match reflections, he noted that the Royal Challengers Bengaluru were worthy champions. “I’ll begin by congratulating RCB. They’ve had an outstanding campaign,” Solanki stated. Having finished at the top of the table and defeated the Titans twice during the season, RCB proved to be the hurdle that the Titans could not quite clear when it mattered most.
Overcoming the Odds and Fatigue
The road to the final was anything but smooth for Gujarat. After a difficult loss in Qualifier 1 held in Dharamsala, the team was forced into a grueling schedule. The logistics involved in playing three matches in just five days, combined with late travel arrangements, created a challenging environment. Despite arriving in Ahmedabad late on the eve of the final, Solanki refused to use the demanding schedule as a crutch or an excuse for the team’s performance.
“The number of games in a short period of time is challenging, but I’m not going to lean on that at all,” he remarked. For Solanki, the integrity of the game lies in facing the reality of the defeat without seeking external justifications. He emphasized that being professional means holding one’s head high, acknowledging the better team on the day, and moving forward with the lessons learned.
Addressing the ‘Top-Heavy’ Narrative
One of the recurring themes throughout the season was the heavy reliance on the top-order batting trio of Shubman Gill, B Sai Sudharsan, and Jos Buttler. With Gill and Sudharsan both crossing the 700-run mark and setting a record for the most century partnerships in T20 history, critics were vocal about the potential weakness in the middle order. Solanki, however, defended the team’s structure, highlighting that reaching the final is evidence of a functional system.
“This notion of over-reliance on the top two or top three… we’ve played a final,” Solanki said, clearly weary of the ongoing debate. He urged observers to look at the hard data and the consistent run-scoring, which ultimately provided the foundation for their deep tournament run.
Strategic Decisions and Future Calibration
The final match also featured a tactical gamble when Nishant Sindhu was promoted to the No. 3 spot. Solanki described this as a judgment call made by head coach Ashish Nehra in collaboration with the captain. While the move did not yield the desired outcome on this particular occasion, it reflected the team’s willingness to adapt under pressure.
Looking back at the pitch conditions in Ahmedabad, Solanki felt that the team perhaps misread the surface. “We probably just made a slight miscalculation of what score was appropriate on that pitch. I don’t think it was a 200-plus pitch of any sort. I think if we had got somewhere around the 180-mark, that would have been a challenging total for them to chase.”
As the curtains close on the 2026 season, the focus for the Gujarat Titans shifts toward the future. Despite the pain of the final loss and the frustration of being unable to conquer the eventual champions, the team leaves behind a legacy of high-performance cricket. Solanki’s closing sentiments captured the essence of the sport—acknowledging the brilliance of opponents like Virat Kohli while maintaining a steadfast belief in his own group’s potential to grow and return stronger in the coming years.
