"Long way off becoming the norm": GT head coach Ashish Nehra gives his verdict on much-debated rule in IPL 2025
Gujarat Titans (GT) head coach Ashish Nehra has played down the role of the Impact Player rule in teams making big scores in the Indian Premier League (IPL). The 45-year-old said that teams were still making scores in excess of 200 occassionally and these totals were not the norm, yet.
Nehra also said that bowlers should try not to get into a negative mindset, adding that they needed to have a wicket-taking approach while going into matches.
“No, I don’t think so. You might see scores of 225, 230, 250, or even 260 occasionally, but it’s still a long way off from becoming the norm. The impact player rule was in place in 2023 as well. I understand that having an extra batsman allows teams to play more aggressively, but the pitch conditions also need to support that,” Nehra said on JioHotstar's 'Aava de' show (via Cri tracker).
“For bowlers, many tend to go along with the common mindset that in T20 cricket, getting hit is okay. We understand that it happens – but in what way? On some days, you might concede 60-70 runs in four overs, or even 70 in three. But you also have to think the other way around – that in four overs, you can take two or three wickets while conceding 20-24 runs. You can’t just focus on one side of the equation,” Nehra added.
Ashish Nehra believes sky is the limit for Shubman Gill if he keeps growing
In the aforementioned discussion, Ashish Nehra said that current GT skipper Shubman Gill could achieve great things for the franchise if he remained grounded and kept learning from the game. He also expected Gill to learn from past experiences and get better in IPL 2025. He observed:
“From all the conversations I’ve had with Shubman Gill over the past year, I believe a person learns best from their own experiences. So, this year, things will only get better and better."
"I’m looking at Shubman Gill as a person, as a captain, and as someone who will take this team forward. If a player like Shubman stays grounded, keeps learning from the game, and continues to grow—which is in his nature—then the sky's the limit for him," the 2011 ODI World Cup winner said.
The 25-year-old was appointed GT captain ahead of IPL 2024 after Hardik Pandya moved franchises to join Mumbai Indians. GT finished in eighth place in the points table in IPL 2024.
The 2022 IPL champions will face Sunrisers Hyderabad next on Sunday, April 6, in Hyderabad.