The dream of rewriting IPL history ended just five runs short for Gujarat Titans' prolific opening pair of Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan.
Heading into the IPL 2026 final against Royal Challengers Bengaluru on Sunday (May 31), Gill and Sudharsan needed 28 runs to surpass the all-time record for the most runs scored by a batting pair in a single IPL season. However, their pursuit was cut short when Josh Hazlewood dismissed Gill for 10 off just eight deliveries, ending the opening stand at 22 runs.
As a result, the Gujarat Titans duo finished the season with 934 partnership runs, narrowly missing the record of 939 jointly held by Virat Kohli-AB de Villiers (2016) and Virat Kohli-Faf du Plessis (2023).
A Record Within Touching Distance
The Gill-Sudharsan partnership was one of the
defining stories of IPL 2026. Having amassed 912 runs together before the final, the Gujarat Titans openers entered the summit clash needing just 28 more runs to become the highest-scoring batting pair in a single IPL season.
With expectations high, the pair looked set to mount another significant stand. Instead, Hazlewood delivered a crucial breakthrough, removing Gill in the third over and ending the partnership at 22 runs.
The dismissal ensured that one of IPL cricket's longest-standing partnership records would survive for at least another season.
Hazlewood Continues to Hold the Edge Over Gill
The wicket also highlighted the fascinating individual rivalry between Shubman Gill and Josh Hazlewood in T20 cricket.
Shubman Gill vs Josh Hazlewood in T20s
| Stat | Record |
|---|---|
| Runs | 59 |
| Balls Faced | 41 |
| Dismissals | 3 |
| Average | 19.67 |
| Strike Rate | 143.90 |
While Gill has scored at a healthy strike rate against the Australian quick, Hazlewood has consistently found ways to dismiss him in key moments. Sunday's wicket was arguably the most significant, arriving in an IPL final with history within touching distance.
Among the Greatest Opening Pairs in IPL History
Although they fell agonisingly short of the record, Gill and Sudharsan's achievement remains one of the finest opening partnerships the IPL has witnessed.
Most Runs by a Batting Pair in an IPL Season
| Rank | Pair | Season | Runs |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Virat Kohli & AB de Villiers | 2016 | 939 |
| 1 | Virat Kohli & Faf du Plessis | 2023 | 939 |
| 3 | Sai Sudharsan & Shubman Gill | 2026 | 934 |
| 4 | Sai Sudharsan & Shubman Gill | 2025 | 912 |
The statistic underlines the consistency of Gujarat Titans' opening combination. Remarkably, Gill and Sudharsan now occupy two of the top four positions on the all-time list.
A Partnership for the Ages
While Gujarat Titans would have hoped for a fairytale ending, Gill and Sudharsan's season-long dominance deserves recognition. The duo consistently provided explosive starts, absorbed pressure when required, and carried the Titans' batting through much of the campaign.
Their tally of 934 runs is now the third-highest partnership aggregate in IPL history and the highest ever recorded by a Gujarat Titans pair.
In the end, the difference between immortality and third place was just five runs.
Five runs short of the all-time record, but firmly established among the greatest batting partnerships the IPL has ever seen.
