Watch- Sai Sudharsan’s Hit Wicket Controversy Takes New Turn, Batter Seen Applyi Spray
The Unfortunate Playoff Trend for Sai Sudharsan
Getting dismissed ‘hit wicket’ in any format of cricket is one of the rarest and most frustrating ways for a batsman to lose their wicket. For Gujarat Titans’ prolific opening batsman, Sai Sudharsan, this rare occurrence has suddenly transformed into an unfortunate trend. In an astonishing and highly frustrating sequence of events during the critical IPL 2026 playoffs, Sudharsan found himself dismissed in this unusual fashion not once, but twice within the span of just a single week.
These bizarre dismissals occurred during the highest-stakes matches of the season, leaving Gujarat Titans fans and cricket analysts in absolute disbelief. However, the story has taken an intriguing twist with the emergence of behind-the-scenes footage from the stadium. In the newly surfaced clip, the batter is seen taking active precautions to prevent the mishap, adding a layer of irony to his eventual dismissal.
The Mystery Spray: Pre-Match Preparations Revealed
Shortly after Gujarat Titans successfully kept their tournament hopes alive, a video began circulating rapidly across social media platforms. The footage captured Sai Sudharsan in the dugout, meticulously preparing his equipment before heading out to the middle. In the clip, the young opener is seen applying a specialized spray to his bat handle.
This spray is commonly utilized by professional batters to enhance their grip, particularly in humid or high-pressure situations where sweat can cause the hands to slip. It is designed to maximize friction between the batting gloves and the rubber grip of the handle. This revelation proves that Sudharsan was well aware of his grip issues and was actively trying to mitigate the danger. Despite these preventive measures, fate had a different plan, and the spray could not prevent another catastrophic slip in Qualifier 2.
Qualifier 1: The Slip in Dharamsala Against RCB
The first of the two incidents occurred during the high-scoring Qualifier 1 clash against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on May 26. Chasing a colossal target of 255 runs at the picturesque HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala, the Titans needed a flying start. Sudharsan looked in fine touch, but disaster struck in the very third over of the innings.
After perfectly timing a delivery for what should have been a boundary, Sudharsan lost his hold on the bat. The bat slipped completely out of his grasp, bounced once on the pitch, and then crashed directly into the stumps. It was a crushing blow for the Titans early in their mammoth run-chase, setting the stage for a tense playoff week.
Qualifier 2: Dejavu in New Chandigarh Against Rajasthan Royals
Just a couple of days later, the Titans faced the Rajasthan Royals in a do-or-die Qualifier 2 at New Chandigarh. Sai Sudharsan was playing beautifully, anchoring the innings with a brilliant 58 runs off just 32 deliveries. Alongside Shubman Gill, he had put the Titans in a commanding position, with the scoreboard reading 167 for the loss of no wickets in 12.5 overs.
Then, the unimaginable happened again. Facing a low full-toss from RR bowler Brijesh Sharma, Sudharsan executed a cracking shot that raced away to the boundary. However, in the follow-through of his swing, the bat slipped from his hands, sailed through the air, and landed directly on top of the stumps. The dismissal cut short his superb innings and left spectators in absolute shock as he walked back to the dugout, having suffered the exact same fate twice in consecutive matches.
An Unwanted Record in IPL History
With these back-to-back dismissals, Sai Sudharsan has etched his name into the IPL record books for all the wrong reasons. He has officially become the first cricketer in the history of the Indian Premier League to be dismissed ‘hit wicket’ three times over the course of his career. Furthermore, he is the only batsman to suffer this specific dismissal twice within a single IPL season, let alone in the span of one week during the playoffs.
Gujarat Titans Set for Grand Finale Against RCB
Despite the distraction of Sudharsan’s hit-wicket misfortunes, the Gujarat Titans showed why they are one of the most resilient teams in the tournament. In Qualifier 2, they were absolutely clinical in their chase of Rajasthan Royals’ target of 214 runs. Led by a magnificent, unbeaten century from captain Shubman Gill, who blasted 104 runs off just 53 balls, the Titans chased down the target with seven wickets in hand and eight balls to spare.
This dominant victory sets up a highly anticipated final clash against the defending champions, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). The final will take place on Sunday, May 31, at the iconic Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. With the match scheduled to begin at 7:30 PM IST, all eyes will be on Sai Sudharsan to see if his special grip plans will finally pay off on the biggest stage of all, helping him avoid a third consecutive hit-wicket disaster.
