After an intense Group Stage, the Indian Premier League 2026 Qualifiers are underway, with four teams battling for the coveted trophy. Matches at this stage of the tournament often require bold decisions, but on May 26, the Gujarat Titans’ gamble to include Kulwant Khejroliya in the playing XI against the high-flying batting unit of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru did not pay off, as the Shubman Gill-led side suffered a thumping 92-run defeat in Qualifier 1 at the iconic Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamshala.Kulwant Khejroliya leaked 31 runs in his two overs. (AP Photo/Ashwini Bhatia)GT, who have produced one of the best bowling units this season with the likes of Mohammed Siraj and Kagiso Rabada leading the attack, failed to deliver on the biggest occasion as RCB posted a mammoth 254 after a blistering unbeaten 93 off just 33 balls from skipper Rajat Patidar. The RCB captain once again stepped up under pressure and, alongside Krunal Pandya, smashed 28 runs off a match-defining over from Khejroliya, which became the second-most expensive over in IPL playoff history.Many fans and pundits, particularly, highlighted this, which completely shifted the momentum away from GT and helped RCB book their place in a second consecutive IPL final, set to be played on May 31. Former Indian cricketer and expert commentator Aakash Chopra criticised the GT management’s decision to include Khejroliya, with the 34-year-old making his first appearance of the season in such a crucial clash.Also Read: Shubman Gill gets brutally honest after Gujarat Titans slump to embarrassing loss against RCB in IPL 2026 Qualifier 1“The decision to play Kulwant Khejroliya wasn't great because you played him his first match of the entire tournament. He bowled a good first over, but he leaked 28 runs in his second over. He was unable to bowl,” Chopra said in a video on his YouTube channel.Chopra further questioned the controversial selection on the day, especially given that experienced IPL campaigner Ishant Sharma was sitting in the dugout if regular starter Arshad Khan was unavailable due to injury. Not just Ishant, GT also possess a strong mix of emerging pace talent and experienced bowlers in their 2026 squad, including Ashok Sharma and Gurnoor Brar, who recently earned his maiden India Test call-up, but neither got the opportunity to showcase their abilities in what was expected to be a high-octane clash on paper, only for it to turn completely one-sided.“Then you think you could have played Ashok Sharma. You didn't play Arshad Khan. Maybe he was injured, I don't know. If you were looking for someone, you could have also brought in Ishant Sharma, but you went with Kulwant Khejroliya. He wasn't given the new ball. It just didn't work out,” Chopra added.Chopra’s analysis carries weight as Khejroliya, known for his abilities with the new ball, bowled just 2 overs on the day, with the pacer instead being handed the responsibility of taking on RCB’s destructive middle order later in the innings. At the same time, Siraj and Rabada continued as the frontline powerplay bowlers. As highlighted by Chopra, with Arshad out of the selection mix and the team looking for an experienced campaigner, Ishant’s first appearance of the season at this stage of the tournament would certainly have stood out. The 37-year-old Indian pacer brings immense experience from 16 IPL seasons, having played in the inaugural 2008 season and picked up 96 wickets in 117 appearances at an economy of around 8.40.These are the calls that often define a franchise’s season and become the fine margins between success and failure at the highest level. GT will now get a second opportunity in Qualifier 2 to rectify their mistakes and book a spot in the 2026 final, where they will face the winner of the Eliminator between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Rajasthan Royals.