Gujarat Titans captain Shubman Gill had a double dose of frustration Wednesday. First, his bowlers struggled to contain Rajasthan Royals batsmen Sanju Samson and Riyan Parag, who smashed fifties. Then, Gill engaged in a lengthy discussion with an umpire following a controversial wide call.
The incident occurred in the 17th over bowled by Mohit Sharma. The final delivery was initially called a wide, but Gill challenged the decision with a DRS review. On replay, it showed Samson moving slightly outside off stump just before the ball was released. The third umpire initially signaled not wide, then reversed the call, sparking Gill's animated conversation with umpire Vinod Seshan.
Despite the wide call, Samson (68 not out off 38 balls) and Parag (76 off 48 balls) continued their dominant form in the IPL. Their aggressive batting propelled Rajasthan Royals to a strong total of 196 for 3 against Gujarat Titans.
Earlier, the Titans seemed in control, restricting the Royals to 43 for 2 in the powerplay. However, the tide turned thanks to the 130-run partnership between Samson and Parag, built off just 78 balls.
Parag, thriving in his new No. 4 position, reached his third fifty in five innings. A dropped catch by Matthew Wade at just 0 off Rashid Khan proved costly for Gujarat, as Parag capitalized with five sixes, including three sweeps against left-arm spinner Noor Ahmed.
Samson, who started with consecutive boundaries off Umesh Yadav, played a supporting role while Parag took center stage. In addition to the questionable wide call, the Titans' fielding, excluding their catching, was also shaky.
