Gujarat Titans (GT) skipper Shubman Gill lamented his team's failure to accelerate in the death overs after a narrow three-wicket loss to Punjab Kings (PBKS) in their IPL 2026 opener on Tuesday (March 31).

Despite having big hitters like Jos Buttler and Glenn Phillips in the lineup, GT managed only 162/6, falling significantly short of what Gill estimated to be a "210-220 wicket" at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur.

The Titans struggled to find momentum in the latter half of their innings, scoring just 43 runs in the final five overs.

In reply, the Kings chased down the target with five deliveries to spare, largely thanks to a heroic debut performance from Cooper Connolly (72* off 44 balls).

“I think we bowled pretty well, but I think we just didn't get going in the last five or six overs, I'd say. Batting, it never looked like a 210-220 wicket. But I think if we would have had maybe 175, 180 was the target in the middle. Once the ball got older, it was difficult to hit it down the ground,” Gill said at the post-match presentation.

The GT captain noted that a steady drizzle during the second innings made batting conditions easier for the home side.

“In the second innings, rain continued, making the ball wet, which slightly improved batting conditions. So I don't think it stopped as much in the second innings. But nonetheless, I think we did a decent job. We kept the pressure on,” he added.

On the decision to delay introducing Prasidh Krishna, Gill defended the call. “I could've (on delaying Prasidh's introduction), but he came at the right time, took wickets and kept us in the game until the 17th and 18th over. All ifs and buts, but at that time, we thought, you know, with the wicket going a little bit slow, maybe a bowler who's quick and skinny might get us a few wickets. And he was bowling pretty well in the nets. So that was the thought process behind it,” he explained.

Gill also showered rich praise on youngster Ashok Sharma, highlighting his potential. “As for Ashok (Sharma), he works hard on the game, he's a good find for us. He bowled pretty well up front and I think in the back, he's definitely someone that, you know, I think as he keeps playing more matches and keeps getting more experience, he'll be very valuable for us,” he stated.

“I actually met him during the camp a couple of months ago and I was very impressed by the way he was bowling with the new ball as well. Hopefully, he'll get a chance in some of the matches to show some of his skills with the new ball,” he further remarked.

Shubman Gill also had a message for his troops following a defeat in the campaign opener. “Well done, boys. Hard luck and it wasn't the game for us, but I think we did decently well. It's just, you know, keep getting better and keep adding more intensity and keep giving your best,” he concluded.