Former India captain Krishnamachari Srikkanth did not hold back in his criticism of Shahrukh Khan after another underwhelming outing, questioning his lack of consistency over the years. The batter fell for just 4 off six balls against Punjab Kings at a crucial stage, when Gujarat Titans needed a late surge to push their total beyond 180. Instead, his early dismissal stalled the momentum, leaving the side short of a strong finish. Titans eventually ended on 162 for 6, a total that looked well below par given the situation and conditions on the night.
Shahrukh has established himself as a lower-order finisher in domestic cricket, relied upon for quick runs at the death. However, he has struggled to consistently meet expectations in IPL. Since making his debut in 2021, he has featured in 56 matches, scoring 736 runs at a strike rate of 148.09, showing flashes of impact but lacking regular match-winning contributions.
Gujarat Titans were well placed at 114 for 2 in the 14th over, but the innings lost its way soon after. The middle order, including Shahrukh , Rahul Tewatia and Rashid Khan, failed to build on the platform and struggled under pressure. With wickets falling and momentum slipping, the push in the final overs never came, and the team could only manage 162 by the end.
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“GT muffed it up with their order”
Srikkanth launched a sharp criticism of Shahrukh, questioning his place in the batting order and accusing him of failing to deliver when the team needed him most.
“GT’s batting is very ordinary. Shahrukh Khan hardly scored even in SMAT. He played in the 11 and just played for himself at the end. Their batting is too dependent on the top three. They wasted Rahul Tewatia in the PBKS game, and the same applies to Rashid Khan. Both of them should have gone ahead of Shahrukh Khan. There is no way Shahrukh Khan should have gone ahead in the batting order. GT muffed it up with their order,” Srikkanth said on his YouTube channel.
Gujarat Titans will host the Rajasthan Royals at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Saturday, whereas the Punjab Kings will take on the Chennai Super Kings at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Friday.
