If Pat Cummins’ tactical nous shaped the opening half of the contest, the second belonged entirely to Kagiso Rabada. Fast, aggressive and razor-sharp in his decision-making, Rabada produced a spell that effectively shut Sunrisers Hyderabad out of the chase and carried Gujarat Titans to a statement win that lifted them to the top of the table.
Rabada finished with figures of 3/28, bowling all four overs in one relentless burst. But the numbers alone do not fully capture the influence he had on the game. This was not merely an exhibition of pace. It was a masterclass in reading batters, reacting under pressure and using experience to out-think some of the most dangerous hitters in the competition.
For years, Rabada has often been viewed primarily as a bowler better suited to Test and ODI cricket. His ability with the red ball has long overshadowed his T20 credentials. Yet this IPL season has forced a rethink. There has been something different about Rabada – not just in terms of rhythm and pace, but in the intelligence behind every spell.
Against SRH, that intelligence stood out repeatedly.
Take the dismissal setup against Abhishek Sharma. Once the left-hander began advancing down the pitch, Rabada instantly cramped him for room, denying him the freedom to swing through the line. It was a split-second adjustment, but one that demonstrated the awareness and adaptability that separate elite fast bowlers from merely quick ones.
The delivery to Ishan Kishan was equally impressive. Rabada hit a hard length and angled the ball away from the left-hander, forcing an error with precision rather than extravagance. These were not wickets born from reckless aggression. They were wickets crafted through planning and execution.
In truth, Rabada could easily have ended with four wickets had Mohammed Siraj held onto a difficult chance in his final over. Even so, his spell ensured SRH never truly recovered momentum during the chase.
Statistically, this is already shaping into one of Rabada’s finest IPL campaigns. His 20 wickets this season make it his fourth-most successful IPL season so far. His best return remains the 30 wickets he claimed in 2020, while he picked up 25 wickets in just 12 matches in 2019 before injury cut short a sensational run. In 2022, he finished with 23 wickets. On current form, however, Rabada appears well-positioned to challenge those numbers once again.
More importantly, his form has transformed Gujarat’s pace attack into one of the strongest in the competition.
Siraj has consistently provided breakthroughs with the new ball. Jason Holder, despite arriving later into the setup, has added balance and experience. The return of Prasidh Krishna has only strengthened the attack further. Together, they give GT a pace battery capable of dominating in all phases of an innings.
And at the heart of it all stands Rabada – smarter, sharper and more complete than ever before.
If these fast bowlers continue delivering at this level, Gujarat may not just be looking at a playoff berth. They could very well be building the bowling unit that drives them towards the IPL trophy.
