IPL 2026: Gujarat Titans skipper Shubman Gill missed the IPL 2026 clash against Rajasthan Royals at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Saturday. In his absence, Afghanistan’s star leg-spinner Rashid Khan led the team at the toss and revealed that Gill was unavailable due to a “muscle spasm”.
“He just got a bit of a muscle spasm, hopefully he’ll be back soon,” Rashid said.
Jharkhand’s promising wicketkeeper-batter Kumar Kushagra, part of the GT squad since IPL 2025, received his debut cap for Gujarat Titans, stepping in for Shubman Gill.
Who is Kumar Kushagra?
Kumar Kushagra, who previously represented Delhi Capitals in the IPL, caught Sourav Ganguly’s attention during the pre-2024 season nets as the Capitals acquired him for Rs 7.20 crore in him, but he managed only three runs across four matches.
Jharkhand’s young talent Kumar Kushagra draws inspiration from MS Dhoni and Ishan Kishan, adopting their aggressive style of batting. Kushagra is known for his strong play against spin, while he has also impressed in high-pressure situations for both Jharkhand and North-East teams. In a total of 30 domestic T20s, he has scored 676 runs at a striking 145.68 strike rate.
However, GT extended their losing streak in IPL 2026 as RR edged them out by six runs, powered by brilliant bowling from Ravi Bishnoi, a nerve-steady final over from Tushar Deshpande, and tight spells from Jofra Archer.
Despite a strong start from GT, highlighted by Sai Sudharsan’s 73 off 44, their middle order collapsed under pressure, with Ravi Bishnoi claiming four crucial wickets. GT kept their hopes alive with a resilient 43-run partnership between Rashid Khan and Kagiso Rabada, but Tushar Deshpande’s nail-biting final over ultimately dashed their chances in a thrilling finish.
Gujarat Titans will take on Delhi Capitals on April 8
Shubman Gill and the Gujarat Titans management will be eager to bounce back in their next IPL 2026 encounter against Delhi Capitals at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on April 8. GT has suffered back-to-back defeats so far, starting with a three-wicket loss to Punjab Kings in their opening match.
