Gujarat Titans star Glenn Phillips strongly defended his team after they suffered a crushing 92-run defeat against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in IPL 2026 Qualifier 1, hitting back at a reporter who suggested the side may have given up during the daunting 255-run chase.
The team endured a forgettable outing against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Qualifier 1 of the IPL 2026 at the HPCA stadium in Dharamsala, going down by a massive 92-run margin. While the defeat denied GT a direct entry into the final, the 2022 champions still have another opportunity to qualify through Qualifier 2.
The heavy loss, however sparked tough questions after the match, and it was New Zealand all-rounder Glenn Phillips who faced the media in place of captain Shubman Gill and head coach Ashish Nehra.
Glenn Phillips loses patience over ‘Giving Up’ question
During the post-match press conference, Phillips was asked whether Gujarat Titans had mentally checked out of the contest after RCB piled up a daunting 254/5 in the first innings.
The question did not go down well with the Kiwi star, who immediately dismissed the suggestion and defended his teammates commitment. “That’s a silly question. That is a really silly question. No one goes in there waiting to go, ‘Oh, you know what? We’re just going to give up on this one.’ Why would we do that as professional cricketers? That’s a terrible question,” Phillips said.
The all-rounder insisted that GT approached the chase with full intent despite the enormous target. “We went out there; we gave it everything. Unfortunately, when you’re trying to chase 250, everything has to go right. And we went out there to try and make everything go right, and obviously it didn’t.”
Phillips also acknowledged the immense scoreboard pressure that comes with chasing a total above 250 in a knockout encounter. “Obviously, there’s a huge amount of scoreboard pressure when you’re trying to chase 250 and very few teams have done it. Sometimes it just is what it is.”
Following one of GT’s biggest defeats of the season, neither captain Shubman Gill nor head coach Ashish Nehra attended the post-match press conference. Instead, Phillips was sent to address the media and answer questions on the team’s performance.
When asked why he had been chosen to represent the franchise after such a crucial defeat, Phillips explained that media responsibilities are shared across the squad. “We’re all part of the team together and we all have equal media roles to play. I think sometimes an outside perspective from someone who isn’t playing the game helps. It’s important for the guys who will now play Qualifier 2 to reset and get their heads where they need to be.”
Phillips struggles to explain Kulwant Khejroliya selection
Phillips was also questioned about GT’s decision to include pacer Kulwant Khejroliya in the playing XI for such a high-pressure fixture. The left-arm seamer was featuring in only his second match of the season after replacing Arshad Khan.
The New Zealander said the decision was taken by the coaching group based on what they had seen during training sessions. “I’d imagine that’s probably just come from the coaching staff and what they have seen Khejroliya do at training. He’s a phenomenal bowler and has great skills. The coaching staff has full faith in everybody they put onto the field.”
Poor fielding proves costly for Gujarat Titans
One of the biggest talking points from GT’s disappointing display was their fielding. Rajat Patidar was handed multiple lifelines during his breathtaking innings, and Phillips admitted those missed opportunities proved decisive. “Especially in playoff games, fielding becomes really crucial. You can bowl well and bat well, but if you field badly, you’re still going to lose. Rajat made us pay big time today. You can’t win games if you can’t take catches.”
Rajat Patidar powers RCB into IPL 2026 final
Earlier in the evening, RCB produced a batting masterclass to post 254/5, the highest total ever recorded in an IPL playoff match. Captain Rajat Patidar led from the front with a stunning unbeaten 93 off just 33 deliveries, smashing nine sixes during his sensational knock.
Kohli provided early momentum with a qucik-fire 43 off 25 balls, while Krunal Pandya chipped in with 43 from 28 balls. Patidar and Krunal added a game-changing 95-run partnership in only 35 deliveries.
In response, Gujarat Titans never recovered after losing five wickets inside the powerplay. Rahul Tewatia fought a lone battle with 68 off 43 balls, but GT were eventually bowled out for 162. Jacob Duffy starred with the ball for RCB, claiming three wickets, while Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Rasikh Salam Dar and Krunal Pandya chipped in with two wickets each.
The emphatic victory sent RCB into their second consecutive IPL final, while Gujarat Titans were left searching for answers ahead of their must-win Qualifier 2 clash.
