East South Africa fast bowling excellent dale steyn have raised serious concerns about Shubman Gillcaptaincy after Gujarat Titans‘(GT) to narrow defeat punjab kings (PBKS) in IPL 2026. Steyn specifically pointed to the delayed introduction Prasidh Krishna As a major tactical error that could have cost GT the game.
Late bowling change raises eyebrows
While defending a modest score of 162 runs in Mullanpur on March 31, Gujarat Titans found themselves on the backfoot as the PBKS batsmen kept the target under control. Despite being the previous season’s Purple Cap winner, GT decided to hold off Prasidh until the 13th over – a move that surprised many, including Steyn.
By the time Prasidh was brought into the attack, Punjab needed just 53 runs with plenty of wickets left in hand. The decision looked even more questionable given the state of the match, where GT desperately needed success in the middle overs.
Once introduced, Prasidh made an immediate impact. The tall fast bowler took three crucial wickets in his first two overs, suddenly swinging the momentum in GT’s favor and raising hopes of a dramatic turnaround.
However, the late surge proved insufficient. Despite losing seven wickets in the process, Punjab Kings managed to keep their composure and chase down the target with five balls to spare. The game ultimately highlighted how timing and tactical awareness can define T20 outcomes.
See also: Xavier Bartlett delivers a screamer to remove steady Jos Buttler in PBKS vs GT game
Dale Steyn questions Shubman Gill’s strategy in the match against PBKS
Speaking on ESPNcricinfo, Steyn suggested that Gujarat Titans are still trying to find the right balance at the start of the tournament. According to him, the team combination may have contributed to the mismanagement of bowling resources.
“Finally they got wickets with them, but they left it too late. You are always guessing your team in the first two games. So they found themselves with one batsman less and one bowler too many. When that happens, one bowls less or bowls too late, like Prasidh here. When he takes three wickets in his first two overs, you start thinking that you wish you had used him earlier. Siraj also bowled only two overs, which explains why. They have too many options and are spoiled for choice. Stan said
Steyn stressed the psychological challenge for bowlers like Prasidh when coming in late in high-pressure situations. He told that bowlers need time to get into the rhythm of the game instead of asking them to achieve instant success.
“If you’re Prasidh, you want to get game experience. It’s very difficult to sit on the bench and then suddenly be tasked with doing something. So for him to be able to do that and take a lot of wickets was impressive. But you want to be able to get into the game early, get an over under the belt, and sweat a bit. Feel the game and the energy of the game to get the best out of the players. Waiting that long also puts pressure on the player,” Added Stan.
Also read: Fans go wild as Cooper Connolly shows courage to lead PBKS past GT in IPL 2026 thriller
