NEW DELHI: Shubman Gill is gearing up to assume the captainship responsibilities for the Gujarat Titans in the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 season. Shubman was appointed captain of Gujarat franchise, the 2022 IPL champions, following the exit of Hardik Pandya to Mumbai Indians in an all-cash deal.
Shubman was bought by Gujarat Titans in 2022, after spending four seasons, from 2018 to 2021, at Kolkata Knight Riders. The dashing right-hander scored 890 runs in 17 matches last season, averaging 59.33 and a strike rate of 157.80. He also notched up three centuries last year.
A proven performer with the bat, will Shubman be able to fill in the big shoes of Pandya, who won the IPL title with the team in 2022 and took them to the final this year?
Gujarat Titans head coach Ashish Nehra said the team will support the new skipper Shubman and termed the youngster the 'right guy' for the big role.
"IPL is a fast game and it throws challenges for everyone. We have seen how Shubman Gill has been playing for three-four years and how he has shaped up. He is 24-25 but he has a good head on his shoulders. We are there to support him. We believe in him that's why we have made him the captain," Nehra told TimesofIndia.com.
"I am not someone who will always go by results. There are so many other things too. Yes, everyone strives for results. Everyone looks for results. But when it comes to captaincy, you must see different things. We are very confident that Shubman is the right guy," he said.
Gujarat Titans bought eight new players in Wednesday's IPL 2024 Auction.
Among the eight names, allrounder Shahrukh Khan was one of the biggest picks for the Gujarat-based franchise.
Did Gujarat Titans see Shahrukh Khan as Pandya's replacement? To this, Nehra said: "I don't think you can find a replacement for someone like Hardik Pandya that easily".
"Shahrukh Khan is a pure batsman. We needed one more batsman for backup. This is a squad of 25. This is not a squad for 15 or 18. When you are making a squad of 25, then you have the options. You have the luxury you look for backups also. We bought Shahrukh Khan because we trusted him, we believed in him and we saw what he could do. There are 10 teams and you can't get what you exactly want or what is your first choice," he added.
