"Some people have seasons, this player has years" - Aakash Chopra lauds Shubman Gill's knock in Gujarat Titans' IPL 2024 loss vs Punjab Kings
Aakash Chopra has lauded Gujarat Titans (GT) skipper Shubman Gill for performing consistently over extended periods.
Gill scored an unbeaten 89 off 48 deliveries as the Titans set the Punjab Kings (PBKS) a 200-run target in their IPL 2024 clash in Ahmedabad on Thursday, April 4. However, the challenging target proved insufficient as the visitors registered a three-wicket win with a ball to spare.
Reflecting on the Gujarat Titans' innings in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra praised Gill for pacing his innings almost perfectly and continuing his run-scoring spree.
The first performer is Shubman Gill. You can say that he batted 20 overs but didn't score a hundred and the runs his team scored fell short in the end. If he is the prince, we said the same thing about the king (Virat Kohli) as well. However, the truth is that he played 48 balls and scored 89 runs," he said (15:20).
"If you score 89 runs in eight overs, it means you scored at more than 11 runs per over. He started with a six, then another six, and then hit short balls for sixes like tennis shots. He batted beautifully. Some people have seasons, this player has years, and every year in that is unmatched," the former India opener added.
Gill struck six fours and four sixes during his innings. This was last season's Orange Cap winner's first half-century in IPL 2024, and he will want to continue playing substantial knocks in the remaining games.
"We need to talk about Rahul Tewatia a little in the same breath" - Aakash Chopra lauds Gujarat Titans' finisher
![Rahul Tewatia smashed an unbeaten 23 off just eight deliveries. [P/C: iplt20.com]](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2024/04/5a5e7-17122951487949-1920.jpg?w=500)
Aakash Chopra noted that Rahul Tewatia and Sai Sudharsan (33 off 19) also deserve accolades for the enterprising knocks they played for the Gujarat Titans.
"He (Gill) likes the Ahmedabad pitch a lot and he hit properly. So he was the first performer. However, along with him, we need to talk about Rahul Tewatia a little in the same breath and a bit about Sai Sudharsan as well. Sai played well but Rahul Tewatia, a short knock, but he plays incredibly well," he stated (16:05).
The reputed commentator was particularly appreciative of Tewatia's game sense.
"He showed his game awareness. Knowing where the fielders are placed, what the bowler's plan is, and how he can put pressure on him, the prime example of that is Rahul Tewatia. Gets the most out of his abilities. He hardly gets to play eight to 10 balls but scores a lot of runs," Chopra elaborated.
Shubman Gill and Sudharsan stitched together a 53-run third-wicket partnership after the Gujarat Titans were reduced to 69/2 in 8.3 overs at the fall of Kane Williamson's wicket. The former later added 35 runs off just 14 balls with Tewatia to take his side to a competitive total, which eventually wasn't enough.