Sai Sudharsan’s unusual run of hit-wicket dismissals has become one of the most talked-about moments of the IPL 2026 season, even as Gujarat Titans continue to benefit from their strong opening partnership. Sudharsan was dismissed in remarkably similar fashion in consecutive matches, first against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Qualifier 1 and then again in the chase against Rajasthan Royals. In both cases, the batter appeared to lose grip on his bat while playing an attacking shot, and the bat ended up striking the stumps before the ball could reach the boundary.
Against RCB, Sudharsan was in good touch when he played a cut shot off Jacob Duffy in the third over. As he completed the stroke, the bat slipped from his hands, bounced upward and struck the leg stump, leading to a hit-wicket dismissal. A nearly identical scene unfolded against RR while GT were chasing 215. Sudharsan was racing toward another big innings, having already scored 58 off just 32 balls and building a strong opening stand with Shubman Gill. But while driving a low full toss from Brijesh Sharma on the off side, the bat again slipped away and hit the stumps, ending his innings in shocking fashion.
The dismissal left Sudharsan visibly stunned, and Gill at the other end reacted in disbelief. Sudharsan later joked that he may need to try something new, possibly grip technology, to prevent the bat from slipping again. He admitted he had no clear explanation for why the strange dismissals were happening. In a lighter tone, he said that in the previous match the bat had bounced before hitting the stumps, but this time it seemed as if it had aimed straight for the wicket.
Gill also said he had never seen anything like it, especially not twice in a row in exactly the same manner. He humorously suggested that he may need to use tape on his hands too after seeing a video of Sudharsan doing so. Despite the bizarre dismissals, the GT opening pair remains one of the biggest reasons for the team’s success this season.
Sudharsan and Gill added 167 runs for the first wicket against RR, making the chase of 215 look manageable for Gujarat Titans. The partnership underlined the consistency and understanding the two batters have developed. By IPL 2026, they had already registered four century partnerships and both had scored more than 700 runs.
Gill said their success comes from strong communication and a clear understanding of each other’s game. He explained that they know which bowler to target and when to attack, which has been the foundation of their opening stand. Sudharsan echoed that view, saying their partnership has improved every year and that his early seasons with GT taught him where he needed to improve. He added that he still has areas to work on and wants to return next season as a better player.
