Former Australian cricketer, Tom Moody cautioned Shubman Gill ahead of his new stint as the captain of the Gujarat Titans. Gill will be leading the IPL 2022 champions and 2023 runners-up this season.
Gill’s announcement as GT’s captain came after Hardik Pandya was traded to Mumbai Indians ahead of the IPL 2024 auction. Moody questioned whether Gill would be able to carry on the rich legacy created by Hardik in his 2-year-long stint. He also acknowledged the lack of experience for Gill in terms of captaining a champion side.
“For Shubman Gill, it is the unknown. He may have captained at a lower level, but this is a different story, the IPL. And following a very successful two years for Gujarat Titans, he is stepping up to the plate after Hardik Pandya had such an impact as a leader. Can he follow in those footsteps or can he create his own?” Moody told ESPNcricinfo.
Gill emerged as a key performer for the Gujarat Titans, after he was roped in by the team in the IPL 2022 auction. The batter has already scored 1373 runs at a strike rate of 147.79 in the last two seasons for the franchise. He had a dream season in IPL 2023 as he won the orange cap by scoring 890 runs in 16 matches. On the back of his stellar performances, the management entrusted him for the leadership role. However, he has led the teams at domestic level only by captaining in Duleep and Deodhar trophies a few years back. He captained Punjab in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy in the 2019-2020 season and successfully led India A during their tour to New Zealand in 2020.
However, Gujarat Titans’ head coach, Ashish Nehra has shown trust in the young captain and ensured full support to him.
“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,” said Nehra.
The Gill-led Gujarat Titans will face Hardik-led Mumbai Indians in their tournament opener on March 24, Sunday at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad.
