IPL 2026: 'We didn’t deserve to win'- Shubman Gill’s brutal verdict after GT defeat to KKR
Shubman Gill attributed Gujarat Titans' 29-run loss to Kolkata Knight Riders to poor fielding, stating the team "didn't deserve to win" after dropping multiple crucial catches. Despite a strong batting performance led by Gill's 85, GT fell short of KKR's 248, with dropped catches allowing KKR's batsmen to score heavily.
Shubman Gill blamed Gujarat Titans’ poor fielding display for their 29-run defeat against Kolkata Knight Riders, saying the side “didn’t deserve to win” after dropping multiple catches during the high-scoring IPL 2026 clash at Eden Gardens on Saturday. GT’s five-match winning streak came to an end despite a spirited chase led by Gill’s 85, Jos Buttler’s 57 and Sai Sudharsan’s unbeaten 53. Chasing a mammoth 248, Gujarat eventually finished on 218/4 as KKR stayed alive in the playoff race.
Reflecting on the defeat, Gill felt Gujarat had actually done well with the bat but failed badly in the field. "Looking at the wicket, 200-210 was par score but we dropped too many catches. Pitch was good, the odd one was stopping but I felt we batted well to get to the score we did," Gill said after the match.
GT’s fielding errors proved extremely costly as KKR took full advantage of the missed chances. Finn Allen was dropped twice before smashing a breathtaking 93 off just 35 balls with 10 sixes, while Angkrish Raghuvanshi and Cameron Green were also handed reprieves before scoring unbeaten fifties. Gill admitted the Titans failed to maintain the standards they had set earlier in the tournament.
"No concerns but our fielding could've been a lot better. We set a certain standard and dropping 3 sitters - we didn't deserve to win this one," Gill said. Despite the loss, the Gujarat skipper believes the defeat could serve as a timely wake-up call ahead of the playoffs.