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Gujarat Titans (GT) Assistant Coach Parthiv Patel has clarified the team's decision to limit Washington Sundar's bowling overs in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026, stating that the move was driven purely by match conditions rather than any fitness concerns.
Speaking on JioHotstar after GT's five-wicket win over Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on Friday night, Patel dismissed speculation around Sundar's fitness or bowling. "There's no niggle. Washington Sundar is bowling really well. It's purely a conditions and match-up-based decision. On a surface like Ahmedabad, where there isn't much turn, it becomes difficult to use him effectively. If there were more left-handers at the crease, we would have definitely gone to him. It's just about finding the right situation to bring him into the game," Patel said. Sundar, who is known for his off-spin and control in the middle overs, was used sparingly in the contest as GT relied on other bowling options suited to the pitch conditions. Patel also addressed concerns around the Gujarat Titans' middle order, saying the franchise is not worried despite limited opportunities for its batters. "There's no real concern around our middle order. Our approach has been to rely on the top three to take the game deep and finish it, and that's something we continue to aim for. Naturally, that means the middle order doesn't always get enough deliveries, but players like Glenn Phillips (Glenn Phillips) and Shahrukh Khan are ready when needed. Ideally, we would like a set batter to finish games, but overall, there's no concern around that unit," Patel added. GT handed KKR a five-wicket defeat, riding on the back of captain Shubman Gill's 86-run knock and Kagiso Rabada's bowling figures of 3/29 in 4 overs. With the win, GT now find themselves placed fourth on the points table. While the Gujarat Titans are on a three-match winning streak, their Net Run Rate (NRR) remains only slightly above zero. In contrast, several other teams have much stronger NRR figures--well over 0.300--with table-toppers Punjab Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru both boasting NRRs exceeding +1. GT will next face the Mumbai Indians on Monday at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. (ANI)
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