‘As a smart bowler, you keep repeating what works’: How GT’s hard-length strategy is overwhelming teams

For much of the first half of IPL 2026, Gujarat Titans found themselves battling questions around intent, tempo, and whether they possessed enough batting explosiveness to survive in a tournament increasingly tilted towards power-hitting. Inside the dressing room, though, GT’s Prasidh Krishna says there was never a feeling that the squad lacked direction. “I think Gujarat Titans in general have always believed in what we have within us, and it's always about what we think about each other,” Prasidh told TimesofIndia.

com . “Honestly, in no sport do names actually determine how well teams do. Teams can have a lot of big names, they can have a lot of new guys, and all of that can be different.

But what's more important is who goes out and performs on a given day. ” And twelve matches later, GT’s identity has centred on their relentless bowling attack, which has overwhelmed teams with discipline and hard lengths. That collective firepower has taken the Gujarat Titans from a side that won only three of their first seven matches into one now firmly pushing for a top-two finish.

GT’s resurgence has largely been built around a bowling blueprint that feels almost old-fashioned in a T20 era obsessed with yorkers and mystery variations. No team has taken more wickets in the powerplay this season than the Gujarat Titans’ 25, while they also possess the best economy rate in the phase. The central driving force behind that dominance has been the relentless pairing of Rabada and Siraj.