Cricket-Gujarat still have room to improve despite top-two finish, says Rashid

Gujarat, ‌who won the title in their 2022 debut season, posted nine wins from 14 matches and trail only Royal Challengers Bangalore in the table. Rashid said there was no danger of them ‌getting carried away.

Gujarat Titans qualified for the Indian Premier League ​playoffs for the fourth time in ​five seasons on Thursday with ‌an 89-run ​win over Chennai Super Kings, but despite their top-two finish spinner Rashid Khan said they still have room to improve. Gujarat, ‌who won the title in their 2022 debut season, posted nine wins from 14 matches and trail only Royal Challengers Bangalore in the table.

Rashid said there was no danger of them ‌getting carried away. "You can't really say we are a very perfect team or we ‌are 100% perfect and we will win each and every game," he told reporters.

"We just keep things simple. Whoever the opposition is, the focus is on how we can be more impactful and take responsibility when ⁠the opportunity ​comes in the ⁠middle." After setting Chennai to chase 230, Gujarat delivered a dominant bowling display with Rashid and pacers Mohammed Siraj ⁠and Kagiso Rabada each claiming three wickets to bowl out the visitors for 140 in 13.4 overs.

Their ​bowlers have been central to Gujarat's success this season, with Siraj, Rabada and ⁠Rashid all among the top seven wicket-takers. Rabada is the joint highest wicket-taker with 24 alongside Royal Challengers ⁠Bengaluru ​pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar. "The bowling attack we have, especially the fast bowling unit, has done a really great job throughout the tournament," said Rashid.

"The main thing for us is ⁠that we adjust ourselves to the conditions very quickly." Gujarat's openers have also played a key ⁠role, with Shubman Gill ⁠and Sai Sudharsan topping the run charts. Sudharsan has scored 638 runs in 14 matches, while Gill has amassed 616 in 13.

The ‌IPL playoffs begin ‌on Tuesday.