Gujarat Titans director of cricket Vikram Solanki has been impressed with how Shubman Gill has thrived under pressure so far in IPL 2025. Shubman Gill , who took over the captaincy charge of GT last season, has led them to 7 wins in 10 matches so far this year, inching closer to a playoffs spot.
The 24-year-old Shubman Gill has been a proactive captain on the field and has also had a few arguments with umpires on the field. In his first season as GT captain, he failed to take his team to the playoffs, but this year, with better planning and a balanced squad, he has flourished in the leadership role.
Shubman Gill’s experience as captain and his elevation to the GT captainship since IPL 2024
Gujarat Titans (GT) right from its formative year 2022 is believed in structuring a core team under the able management led by the likes of Ashish Nehra & Gary Kirsten.
This formation of team based on process and nurturing young talents to shape them for their future struck striking resemblance with the likes of most successful IPL teams Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Mumbai Indians (MI) thus making them the most consistent team in the IPL history since 2021 where they won the title in the 1st year of their formation only to continue in the next one.
Shubman Gill’s elevation to captaincy could be a reward for his brilliant outing int the IPL last time out. He was the leading run-scorer in IPL 2023, scoring 890 runs in 17 matches at a strike rate of 157.80, including three tons and four half-centuries. He has big shoes to fill since Pandya led to franchise to two consecutive IPL finals, including a maiden title during their inaugural (2022) season.
Shubman 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.
Shubman Gill had a forgettable Indian Premier League (IPL) season in 2024. He was named the captain of Gujarat Titans (GT) for the first time, however, the team finished at the seventh position in the league. There was plenty of scrutiny related to his captaincy, but he had the backing of the franchise as they retained him as captain before the start of IPL 2025.
Shubman Gill not affected by weight of captaincy exclaims Vikram Solanki
“Shubman Gill has been one of those cricketers who have thrived under the burden of responsibility that comes with leading a side,” Gujarat Titans’ Director of Cricket, Vikram Solanki, said.
In his second year as captain of the 2022 champions, Gill has appeared comfortable in IPL 2025, both with the bat and in his tactical decisions on the field.
The Gujarat Titans currently occupy fourth spot with 14 points from just 10 games and are well-placed to reach the playoffs for the first time since 2023. Gill appeared somewhat flustered during his maiden stint as captain of the Titans, but with a more well-rounded attack this season, the young star has looked at ease, navigating the pressures of a high-profile tournament such as the IPL.
“As far as leadership is concerned, he has really grown into the role of captaincy,” Solanki said while addressing a press conference on the eve of their IPL 2025 match against the Mumbai Indians in Mumbai.
“When you have somebody as gifted, as talented, as exceptional as Shubman is as a batsman, sometimes you might have concerns about whether the weight of leadership would bear heavily. I don’t think that’s been the case. You sometimes see that people thrive in such responsibility roles, and Shubman has certainly been that,” he added.
Shubman Gill, who clinched the Orange Cap in 2023 with 890 runs, managed just 426 runs in 12 matches last season. However, in IPL 2025, Shubman Gill has already amassed 465 runs in 10 matches at a strike rate of 162 – his best in the IPL so far.
Shubman has also found a perfect foil in left-handed Sai Sudharsan as opening partner. On his part, Sudharsan has topped the charts for the Titans with 504 runs in 10 matches at 50.40 and a strike rate of 154.12 with five half-centuries. He is second in the Orange Cap race, right below Virat Kohli – 505 runs. Solanki asserted that two complements each other quite well with their similar approach towards the game.
“You can only credit them to their hard work, credit their success, credit their partnership to their hard work,” he said.
“There is the nuance that they are similar in terms of how they approach the game. They are fairly traditional in terms of how they set themselves up for the game. They have, at the very base, a solid technique and an understanding and appreciation for facing that new ball where you can have some movement,” he added.
Gujarat will be keen to secure two points in Mumbai, though they face a stern challenge against the five-time champions, who are currently on a six-match unbeaten run. Gujarat, however, won the reverse fixture in April by 36 runs in Ahmedabad.