During an IPL 2026 match, Gujarat Titans director Vikram Solanki gave a sharp reply to commentator Harsha Bhogle's light-hearted question about his birthday, telling him to "stick to the cricket." This on-air exchange went viral, sparking a significant debate among fans on social media about the professionalism of the interaction.
Gujarat Titans (GT) captain Vikram Solanki gave a sharp reply to renowned commentator Harsha Bhogle over a light-hearted question on his 50th birthday celebration during the IPL 2026 clash against the Lucknow Super Giants at the Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow on Sunday, April 12.
Harsha Bhogle was part of the commentary panel for the clash between LSG and GT, which the latter team won by seven wickets to record their second successive win of the season. With a 165-run target, the Gujarat Titans chased it down in 18.3 overs, or with nine balls to spare. Half-centuries from Jos Buttler (60) and Shubman Gill (56) and a vital unbeaten 21-run innings by Washington Sundar guided the team to victory.
Earlier, Prasidh Krishna led the GT’s bowling attack with figures of 4/28 at an economy rate of 7.00 in 4 overs to restrict LSG to 164/8. Ashok Sharma picked up two wickets while conceding 32 runs at an economy rate of 8.00 in four overs.
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‘Let’s Stick to the Cricket’
As the Gujarat Titans clinched the victory over the Lucknow Super Giants, what grabbed the headlines was not just their on-field dominance but a light-hearted on-air moment involving Vikram Solanki and Harsha Bhogle. Bhogle was interviewing the GT director on the sidelines of the LSG’s batting.
In a video that went viral on social media, the renowned commentator asked Vikram Solanki about his recent 50th birthday celebration, praising him for his fitness and youthful appearance. However, the GT director responded sharply to the question rather than engaging in the banter, politely cutting it short and steering the conversation back to cricket and the ongoing match.
“I tell you what, Harsha, you're having a couple of opportunities to make sure you're raising a couple of points on my behalf. How about we stick to the cricket and talk about the guys that are out there,” Solanki said during the interview.
Harsha Bhogle politely obliged to Vikram Solanki’s request, and the conversation moved on with focus returning to the match and the Gujarat Titans’ performance. What was initially a light-hearted exchange quickly became one of the talking points of the broadcast, with Solanki’s firm response standing out during the live coverage.
Bhogle-Solanki’s Conversation Sparks Debate
The light-hearted conversation by Harsha Bhogle met with a sharp reply from GT director Vikram has sparked a debate on X (formerly Twitter), where fans and cricket enthusiasts reacted strongly to the exchange, with many calling it a rare and unexpected on-air moment during the IPL 2026 broadcast.
Taking to their X handles, fans and cricket enthusiasts were sharply divided over the exchange. Many felt Harsha Bhogle was simply offering a light-hearted compliment and said the reaction from Vikram Solanki was unnecessary, calling it ‘rude’ and ‘arrogant’, while others defended the GT director Solanki’s ‘stick to cricket’ stance as firm but justified.
A section of fans criticised the tone of the exchange, while a few supported Solanki’s direct approach during the live broadcast.
Vikram Solanki is a former English cricketer who played 51 ODIs and 3 T20Is for England, has been associated with the Gujarat Titans as their Director of Cricket since the franchise’s early seasons, playing a key role in team strategy and operations.
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