Gujarat Titans captain Shubman Gill is not typically known for exuberant celebrations following the dismissal of an opposing batsman. While he is not hesitant to voice his concerns to the umpire when he believes his team has been treated unfairly, he generally refrains from giving send-offs to opponents. However, the significance and emotional stakes of GT's away match against the Kolkata Knight Riders at Eden Gardens prompted Gill to express himself more vigorously. KKR all-rounder Venkatesh Iyer became the target of Gill's fervor.

During the 12th over of KKR's chase for 200 runs, GT's left-arm spinner Sai Kishore delivered a tempting ball to Iyer, encouraging the left-handed batsman to attempt a big hit. Iyer, who was struggling to find his rhythm, went for an ambitious slog, hoping to capitalize on the matchup. However, Kishore cleverly held onto the ball a moment longer, resulting in Iyer misjudging the pace. His timing was off, and he could only manage a slog sweep that went directly to the deep square leg fielder.

As soon as Washington Sundar completed the catch, Gill erupted with excitement, his fists pumping in the air, and cheers resonated from the stands at Eden Gardens. He also exchanged a few words before rushing to Kishore and thumping his chest in celebration.

Iyer lowered his head and made the long walk back after managing only 14 runs from 19 balls. At the time of Iyer's dismissal, KKR was at 84/3 in 11.3 overs, and Gill remarked that he felt this was the pivotal moment that allowed them to "close out" the match. Indeed, they did. KKR struggled to keep up with the required run rate of 10 runs per over during a poorly executed chase, finishing at 159 for 8 in their allotted 20 overs. GT secured victory by 39 runs, solidifying their position at the top of the points table. With 12 points from 8 matches, GT has made significant progress toward securing a playoff spot.

Shubman Gill reveals reasons behind aggressive send-off to Venkatesh Iyer

After Following his team's victory, Gill was prompted to explain the motivation behind his exuberant celebration after dismissing Iyer. The captain of GT expressed that his emotions were heightened due to the significance of the moment in the match. "We were in a favorable position, but being ahead is different from securing the win. Strong teams excel at closing out games, whether they are chasing or defending. So, that was just a release of my emotions," Gill remarked.

Gill scored 90 runs off 55 deliveries, while his opening partner, Sai Sudharsan, contributed his fifth score of over 50 this season with 52 runs, helping Gujarat achieve a formidable total of 198-3. "I am very satisfied. We discussed these two matches, as they would determine our standing in the table. I am delighted to have secured two consecutive victories."

Both Gill and Sudharsan adeptly navigated the challenging pitch, displaying occasional aggression. Although Gill lost the toss and narrowly missed a century, he effectively managed the innings alongside left-handed Sudharsan. Together, they forged a partnership of 114 runs, after which Jos Buttler unleashed a powerful unbeaten 41 runs off 23 balls, featuring eight boundaries.

Gill and Sudharsan reached their half-centuries in nearly identical fashion, collectively striking a dozen boundaries and two sixes. Kolkata struggled to break their partnership until the 13th over.

Sudharsan, who took 34 balls to reach his fifty, was dismissed shortly after, edging a cut shot off Russell's short delivery.

Gill's half-century came off 33 balls, with 29 of those runs scored in just 12 deliveries. He was dismissed while attempting to hit a low full toss from Vaibhav Arora, caught by Rinku Singh in the outfield during the 18th over.

"We aim to perform at our best whenever we step onto the field. We never emphasize that one of us must remain until the end; instead, we focus on how to score runs in these conditions and how to extend the game," he stated.

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