Ahmedabad

Sunrisers Hyderabad head coach Daniel Vettori acknowledged that Gujarat Titans outclassed his side with a clinical all-round display, particularly with the ball, in their IPL clash in Ahmedabad.

Powered by half-centuries from Sai Sudharsan (61) and Washington Sundar (50), Gujarat posted 168 for 5 before their pace attack dismantled Hyderabad for just 86 on a lively surface on Tuesday, sealing an emphatic 82-run victory — SRH’s biggest defeat by runs in IPL history.

Speaking after the match, Vettori said Gujarat executed their plans to perfection and put Hyderabad under pressure from the outset.

“GT were outstanding. They built their innings well and then applied relentless pressure with the ball. We felt 168 was chaseable, but against a bowling attack of that quality, especially with five seamers and someone like Rashid Khan, we knew it would be a serious challenge,” he said.

The former New Zealand spinner admitted his side never got the start it needed in the chase, allowing Gujarat’s bowlers to dominate proceedings.

“We couldn’t build any momentum early on, and they took full advantage. Their bowling was exceptional tonight. They’re a very strong side, adaptable to conditions, and they used this surface brilliantly,” Vettori added.

Despite the heavy loss, he backed his batting group, which has performed consistently throughout the season.

“We believed 169 gave us an opportunity. I’m not putting blame on the batting unit — they’ve been outstanding all season. In a tournament like the IPL, every team has an off day. This happened to be ours, and I’m confident we’ll respond strongly.”

Vettori also credited his bowlers for limiting Gujarat to a manageable total, noting the challenges of bowling in the IPL.

“It’s never easy for bowlers in this competition. Restricting them to around 170 was a commendable effort.”

Meanwhile, Gujarat left-arm spinner Sai Kishore praised fast bowlers Mohammed Siraj and Kagiso Rabada for setting up the win with a disciplined spell in the powerplay.

“Siraj and Rabada have been consistently hitting the right areas. That’s the advantage of having high-quality Test bowlers in the attack. We’ve also been guided brilliantly by skipper Shubman Gill and coach Ashish Nehra,” he said.

Kishore added that the team had assessed the pitch accurately and believed 170 would be competitive.

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“The wicket had some moisture and offered movement, so we felt 170 would be a strong total if we bowled well early. Contributions from Sai, Washy and Nishant Sindhu ensured we reached a score we could defend.”