Guwahati: Guwahati Royals moved to the top of the Imperial Blue Packaged Drinking Water Assam Premier League 2026 table on Tuesday, handing Dibrugarh Warriors their first defeat of the season. Purple Cap holder Deepak Gohain was once again at the heart of it with the ball.
The win takes the Royals to 8 points from five matches, edging out Warriors on net run rate at the top of the table. Both sides now have four wins apiece from five outings.
Gohain leads the wicket-takers’ list
Gohain sits at the top of the tournament’s bowling charts with 12 wickets from five matches, at an economy of exactly 5.00 and an average of 8.33. His best figures this season read 3/11.
Reflecting on his form, the left-arm spinner pointed to experience as the biggest factor behind his consistency.
“Experience helps a lot. When you are playing a big tournament like this, the experience is useful in match situations. You can understand how to bowl on which wicket, how to bowl to which batsman, and that helps the team as well,” he said.
A win over a side they’d never beaten before
For Gohain, beating Dibrugarh Warriors carried extra weight, given the Royals had never got the better of them before this match.
“It’s been a big boost for the team. We executed our plans in this contest and we’ve been focusing on doing the basics right. That helped us get the win against Dibrugarh,” he said.
Variation is the key, says Gohain
Asked what has worked for him with the ball this season, the 33-year-old was clear that changing pace has been central to his success.
“My mindset is simple. I try to keep varying my bowling, especially because pace variation is very important on this wicket. If you can do that properly and hit the right length, as a bowler, you get help from the wicket. The one thing that has worked consistently for me is cramping the batters for room to get the better of them,” he explained.
Confidence high in the Royals camp
Gohain credited the team’s overall effort for the run of results, saying the dressing room is settled and confident after four wins from five games.
“The team’s performance has been really good. We have won 4 out of 5 matches now. So, the morale of the team is high. Our aim is to build on this and keep winning matches,” he added.
Staying calm under the coaching staff
With the Royals now firmly in the title race, Gohain said the squad is being kept grounded by a calm environment set by the coaching staff.
“Our coach is doing a brilliant job to ensure that the dugout always remains calm. That enables the players to play more freely and focus on what their role is. So, as players, we just focus on that,” he said.
He added that the message from the team management has been to focus on the next game rather than the bigger picture.
“We are taking it one match at a time. We don’t want to look too far ahead. That’s the message from our coaches and the support staff. The captain ensures that the team’s mindset remains aligned and there is no pressure on anyone,” he said.
