Mark Boucher highlights the importance of dismissing Sanju Samson on first delivery vs GT, says…

Former South African cricketer Mark Boucher believes that Mohammad Siraj dismissing Chennai Super Kings’ (CSK) opener Sanju Samson on the first ball was the massive moment for Gujarat Titans in their 89-run win over the five-time champions.

Defending a daunting 229-run target, GT struck immediately when Siraj induced an edge from Samson on the very first ball of the innings. CSK never recovered from the early collapse and were eventually bowled out for 140 in just 13.4 overs, a result that also knocked the five-time champions out of playoff contention.

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Mark Boucher praises Mohammed Siraj for dismissing Sanju Samson early

Boucher felt Samson was the one batter capable of mounting a serious challenge in the chase and credited Siraj for executing his plans perfectly.

“Sanju Samson was probably the one batter who could have posed a real challenge for the Gujarat Titans in that chase, so dismissing him on the first ball was a massive moment in the game,” Boucher told Jio Hotstar.

“Mohammed Siraj executed his plan perfectly, especially on a red-soil surface where he could pitch the ball up and allow it to swing. The line and length were spot on, and he immediately found the edge. That wicket dealt a huge blow to CSK’s hopes because once Samson fell early, they were always going to need something extraordinary to recover from there,” he added.

Mark Boucher praises Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan for their consistency

Siraj went on to finish with figures of 3-26, while Kagiso Rabada and Rashid Khan also picked up three wickets each as GT sealed a top-two finish in the points table.

Earlier, opening pair of Shubman Gill (64) and B Sai Sudharsan (84) once again laid the foundation for a massive total with a 125-run partnership, before Jos Buttler’s unbeaten 57 off 27 balls propelled GT to 229/4.

“Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan stand out because of the consistency with which they score runs and the hunger they continue to show every single game. In an era where T20 batting is often associated with constant innovation and high-risk shots, they rely heavily on strong cricketing basics and proper shot-making,” said Boucher.

“A lot of their boundaries come from pure timing and conventional cricket shots rather than forcing the game. What makes them so effective is that they still manage to put bowling attacks under pressure consistently while maintaining that control and composure at the crease,” he added.

The latest century stand between Gill and Sudharsan also saw them equal the IPL record for most 100-run partnerships in tournament history with 10, matching the tally of Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers.

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With IANS Inputs.