Match winner in a comeback spell, Ravi Bishnoi displayed his evolution and growth within 1 season after a struggling last season as he turned the tide of balance towards Rajasthan Royals pocketing the Gujarat Titans in IPL 2026. The leg-spinner returned figures of 4 for 41 that won him the Player-of-the-Match award as well and more importantly made an impact shifting the momentum decisively in Rajasthan’s favour.
Chasing a challenging target of 211, Gujarat Titans seemed comfortable on course in the middle overs with B Sai Sudharsan playing a calm knock as well a batting order deep enough to come good. But in the 11th over a turning point came as Bishnoi was brought into the attack. Exhibiting admirable control and tactical acumen, he picked up three essential wickets in six deliveries across two overs to break the spine of Gujarat’s chase.
Bishnoi had earlier dismissed the well-set Sai Sudharsan, who was anchoring the innings. He quickly added the scalps of Glenn Phillips and Washington Sundar, leaving Gujarat under siege. He later picked up the scalp of Rahul Tewatia which ended up sealing the game in Rajasthan’s favour.
On his performance, Bishnoi attributed the success to hard work in the off-season after a disappointing IPL 2025. “It was a tough season last season, but I continued with my processes. I found that my biggest weakness was inconsistent lengths. Every time I missed my length, I got punished,” he said after receiving his award. Resolute to correct this deficiency, Bishnoi spent a lot of time trying to perfect his bowling lengths via domestic cricket and training.
You could see it in his energy on the field. Bishnoi bowled to a single corridor and used his variations wisely, especially against left-handed batsmen. On one side with a long boundary, he followed up with a sensible ploy of bowling googlies, both from middle and leg stump so the batters were forced to hit against the spin on to the bigger side. The plan works very well, as it lured both Sudharsan and Sundar into its trap.
More than that, the leg-spinner stressed on preparation beyond just technical preparation. “I focused on everything—mental, technical and physical. I know, like I worked hard in the off-season and I continue to work between games,” he added, emphasizing the holistic approach that has guided his renaissance.
Bishnoi’s path to this moment has not been direct. He had a great season in IPL 2023 as he finished as the highest wicket-taker for Lucknow Super Giants with 16 wickets to his name, but his form saw a dip in 2025 when he picked up just nine wickets in 11 matches at a high economy and average. So he was released before the IPL 2026 auction and Rajasthan Royals got him for INR 7.20 crore during the auction, a move that has already proven beneficial.
If Bishnoi’s spell did the groundwork, however, the final act of the contest belonged to Tushar Deshpande, who kept his head when it mattered most in the final over. Cranking out a volley of pin-point yorkers and near-yorkers, Deshpande gave away only four runs, sealing the deal for Rajasthan by an edge of six runs.
Not only did this victory demonstrate the fighting spirit of Rajasthan Royals, it also marked a massive comeback story for Bishnoi — establishing his endless brilliance in stride again as one of the match-winners in this tournament through sheer will and hard work.
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