‘I’m going to try some grip tech now’ – Sai Sudharsan is hit wicket again – Sai Sudharsan’s Rare Hit-Wicket Streak: A Bizarre IPL Phenomenon
A Statistical Anomaly in the IPL Playoffs
In the game of cricket, being dismissed hit wicket is often considered a moment of pure misfortune. To suffer this fate once is unlucky; to suffer it twice in consecutive playoff matches is nothing short of bizarre. Gujarat Titans (GT) opener Sai Sudharsan has found himself at the center of an unwanted statistical anomaly, having registered three hit-wicket dismissals in his T20 career. However, despite the repetitive frustration, Sudharsan maintained a sense of humor following his team’s vital victory over the Rajasthan Royals in Qualifier 2, which secured them a spot in the IPL 2026 final against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
The Freak Dismissals in Detail
The sequence of events began in Qualifier 1 against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Sudharsan had started his innings with fluidity, looking set for a significant score. However, during the third over, while attempting to cut a delivery from Jacob Duffy, his bat slipped from his grip. In a cruel twist of physics, the bat ricocheted off the pitch and crashed into his leg stump before the ball even had a chance to reach the boundary.
If that felt like a one-off stroke of bad luck, the Qualifier 2 match against the Rajasthan Royals provided an eerie sense of deja vu. With the Titans chasing a daunting target of 215, Sudharsan was in sublime form, racing to 58 off just 32 balls. As he drove a low full toss from Brijesh Sharma, his bat once again escaped his hands during the follow-through, flying directly into the stumps. The sight left both the batter and his partner, Shubman Gill, in a state of visible disbelief.
Reflecting on the Luck of the Draw
Speaking to broadcasters after the match, Sudharsan couldn’t help but joke about his technical difficulties. ‘I think I should try some things,’ he quipped. ‘I’m going to try some grip tech now and just bat a few balls and see how it is. But honestly, I don’t have a lot of answers on how it happened.’ He even managed to find levity in the absurdity, noting, ‘Seriously, last game it just bounced a few times and hit the stumps. But this game, I just wanted it to hit straight away, I think.’
Sudharsan now joins the ranks of Andre Russell and Shoaib Malik as the only players to have been dismissed hit wicket three times in the T20 format. His first such dismissal occurred back in 2022 at the Brabourne Stadium against the Mumbai Indians.
The Partnership That Defines Gujarat Titans
Despite the freakish nature of his departure, Sudharsan’s contribution alongside Shubman Gill has been the bedrock of the Gujarat Titans’ campaign. Their opening stand of 167 against the Rajasthan Royals set the foundation for a clinical chase of 215. Reflecting on their dynamic, Gill admitted that even he was left speechless by his partner’s recent run of luck. ‘I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything like that. Two matches, two in a row, the way he got out. I saw some video on social media that he was taping his hands, I think. I’m going to have to do that in the next match,’ Gill joked.
The duo has now produced four century partnerships in the 2026 season, with both batters crossing the 700-run mark. Gill attributes this success to deep mutual understanding and clear communication. ‘Honestly, I think we complement each other very well. We understand each other’s game very well. And when we are batting out there, our communication is very good. We know one of us has to take down one of the bowlers.’
For Sudharsan, the journey alongside Gill has been a process of evolution. He remains focused on the bigger picture, stating, ‘I think it definitely evolved over the years. I had great experiences in the first few years with the GT team which gave me some exposure or some experience on what I want to improve. This year there are so many points where I can improve so that I’ll work on that and come back.’ As the Titans prepare for the final, fans will be hoping for a more conventional performance from the opener, though the sheer uniqueness of his journey remains a talking point of the tournament.
