AHMEDABAD – Gujarat Titans’ batting frailties were laid bare in a humiliating 99-run defeat to Mumbai Indians at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Monday night in IPL 2026. What was supposed to be a competitive chase turned into a rout as GT crumbled to 100 all out while chasing a daunting 200.
Batting coach Matthew Hayden didn’t mince words in the post-match press conference, pointing directly at the middle order’s shortcomings. ‘Our middle order was exposed today,’ he admitted. ‘The top order’s failure put immense pressure on the rest. You can’t win from the powerplay, especially in a chase, but you can certainly lose it there. And that’s exactly what happened.’
GT’s top three – Sai Sudharsan, Jos Buttler, and captain Shubman Gill – were back in the hut by the 4.4-over mark, leaving the middle order to pick up the pieces against a fired-up MI attack. Hayden elaborated on the mismatch in preparations: ‘The way we prepare our middle order is very different from the top three. They’re batting for impact. Sending in someone like Shahrukh Khan there – if he’s getting just 7 balls at a strike rate of 180, that’s a fantastic season. But it’s not their role to face too many deliveries.’
Players like Shahrukh Khan, Rahul Tewatia, and Glenn Phillips struggled to adapt, as Hayden noted their specific training doesn’t equip them for prolonged stays at the crease. ‘We have a thinking batting unit with defined roles, but tonight they couldn’t execute,’ he said.
Mumbai Indians had earlier posted 199 for 5, powered by Tilak Varma’s unbeaten 101. Ashwani Kumar starred with the ball, claiming 4 for 24 in his 4 overs. Tilak was rightfully named Player of the Match. This loss underscores GT’s over-reliance on their top order, a vulnerability that could haunt them in the playoffs race.