"Shubman Gill was going very slow" - Aakash Chopra lauds GT captain's knock in IPL 2025 win vs DC
Former India player Aakash Chopra has lauded Shubman Gill for playing a perfectly paced knock in the Gujarat Titans' (GT) IPL 2025 clash against the Delhi Capitals (DC). He noted that the GT skipper started cautiously before pressing the accelerator when required.
DC set GT a 200-run target in Match 60 of IPL 2025 in Delhi on Sunday, May 18. Gill (93* off 53) and Sai Sudharsan (108* off 61) then stitched together an unbroken 205-run opening partnership to take the visitors over the line with an over to spare and book their berth in the playoffs.
Reflecting on the Gujarat Titans' chase in a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra', the former India opener pointed out that Gill started sedately before taking the Delhi Capitals bowlers to the cleaners.
"Shubman Gill was going very slow. It seemed like he was going at a run-a-ball. However, he then slog-swept Axar Patel for two sixes, and then he hit a six against T Natarajan, and how well he batted after that," he said (3:30).
Chopra added that Gill played risk-free cricket and helped GT chase a big target easily in Sudharsan's company.
"This has been his season. He is technically compact. He doesn't play any shot seeing which you would say he is taking a lot of risk or is feeling a lot of pressure. They needed 10 runs per over, it was a 200-run target, and they chased it by snapping their fingers. They were slightly behind the eight ball at one stage, but that also didn't matter," he observed.
Shubman Gill struck three fours and seven sixes during his unbeaten 93-run knock. He scored only 21 runs off the first 19 deliveries he faced before smashing 72 runs off the next 34 balls.
"Sai Sudharsan has become the second name of consistency" - Aakash Chopra lauds GT opener's century in IPL 2025 win vs DC
![Sai Sudharsan struck 12 fours and four sixes in his unbeaten 108 in GT's IPL 2025 clash against DC.. [P/C: Getty]](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/05/1f256-17476356879622-1920.jpg?w=500)
In the same video, Aakash Chopra praised Sai Sudharsan for continuing his consistent run in IPL 2025.
"Sai Sudharsan has become the second name of consistency. How can a player play so clean like pure desi ghee in T20s? He played properly all around the ground. He doesn't play even one bad shot. You cannot associate ugly with his game, but he runs at a strike rate of 170," he said.
The cricketer-turned-commentator noted that the Tamil Nadu youngster has an insatiable hunger for runs.
"No one has scored 1000 runs faster than him, and the Orange Cap is on his head currently. He has come with so much hunger. He is saying that he is here to stay. A 200-run total has been chased for the first time without losing a single wicket. The two kids have together created history," Chopra observed.
With 617 runs at a strike rate of 156.99 in 12 innings, Sai Sudharsan is the current Orange Cap holder in IPL 2025. He is closely followed by Shubman Gill, who has amassed 601 runs at a strike rate of 155.69 in his 12 innings this season.