"A great thinker of the game" - Kane Williamson on Gujarat Titans captain Shubman Gill
Indian opener Shubman Gill was named as the new captain of the Gujarat Titans (GT), following the exit of Hardik Pandya, who was traded to the Mumbai Indians (MI) in an all-cash deal
New Zealand's veteran batter Kane Williamson will continue to represent the Gujarat-based side in the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2024). Speaking about the captaincy change, Williamson reserved high praise for Gill.
During an interview with PTI, Williamson said:
"It is really an exciting opportunity for Shubman, a world-class player and a great thinker of the game as well. As a team, we are focusing what's in front of us in the roles that we have, and it is a fantastic support staff."
Gujarat finished as champions in 2022, which was also their maiden season. They followed it up with a runners-up finish in 2023. It remains to be seen how they fare in the forthcoming season under Shubman Gill's leadership.
Shubman Gill has been the standout performer with the bat for Gujarat so far. The right-handed batter is the team's leading run-getter, chalking up 1373 runs from 33 matches.
The talented youngsters showcased dazzling form in IPL 2023, taking home the Orange Cap. Gill scored 890 runs across 17 innings at an average of 59.33. He notched up three centuries and four fifties in the edition.
"He may have captained at a lower level but this is a different story" - Tom Moody on Shubman Gill leading GT in IPL 2024
Former Australian cricketer Tom Moody believes that Shubman Gill has a challenging task ahead of him, suggesting that captaining an IPL team won't be an easy feat.
He pointed out how Gill takes over from someone like Hardik Pandya, who did a brilliant job leading the side during his two-year stint. Speaking to ESPNcricinfo, Moody said:
"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?"
Gujarat Titans will take on Mumbai Indians in their opening match of IPL 2024 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday, March 24.