Past South Africa fast bowling excellent Dale Steyn caused serious concern Shubman Gillthen the captaincy Gujarat Titans‘ (GT) narrow defeat Kings of the Punjab (PBKS) IPL 2026. Steyn specifically mentioned the delayed implementation. Prasidh Krishna Like a major tactical error that could have cost GT the game.
The late bowling change raises eyebrows
Defending a modest total of 162 at Mullanpur on March 31, Gujarat Titans found themselves on the back foot as PBKS batsmen kept the chase in check. Despite being last season’s Purple Cap winner, GT opted to keep Prasidh on for ’13 – much to the surprise of many, including Steyn.
When Prasidh was brought into the attack, Punjab needed just 53 runs with plenty of wickets in hand. The decision looked even more questionable given the match situation where GT desperately needed improvements in the mid-passes.
After being introduced, Prasidh made an immediate impact. The tall pacer took three crucial wickets in his first two overs, suddenly swinging the momentum in GT’s favor and igniting hopes of a dramatic comeback.
However, growth of late has been insufficient. Punjab Kings managed to hold their nerve and chase down the target with five balls to spare despite losing seven wickets in the process. The game ultimately highlighted how timing and tactical awareness can determine T20 results.
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Dale Steyn questions Shubman Gill’s tactics in clash with PBKS
Speaking to ESPNcricinfo, Steyn suggested that Gujarat Titans are still trying to find the right balance early in the tournament. According to him, the team merger could lead to mismanagement of bowling resources.
“They got wickets with him in the end, but they gave it up too late. You always second-guess your team in the first two games. So they’ve got a lot of batsmen and a lot of batsmen. When that happens, someone like Prasidh here is bowled too late or bowled too late. When he takes three wickets in his first two wickets, you’ve used it to put the two wickets up before him. It tells you they have too many options and are spoiled for choice.” Stein said
Steyn highlighted the psychological problem for bowlers like Prasidh when they are introduced late in high-pressure situations. He explained that bowlers need time to adjust to the rhythm of the game rather than asking them to make instant breakthroughs.
“If you’re Prasidh, you want to feel the game. It’s very difficult to sit on the bench and be asked to do something all of a sudden. So it was impressive that he was able to do that and get a lot of wickets. But you want to be earlier in the game, get under the belt and get some energy to get the best out of the game. It also puts pressure on a player when players wait that long.” Steyn added.
Also READ: Fans go wild as Cooper Connolly gets fired up to lead PBKS past GT in an IPL 2026 thriller.
