Shubman Gill has been announced as the Gujarat Titans' new captain after all-rounder Hardik Pandya's shock return to the Mumbai Indians. While Pandya was in the list of players retained by GT on Sunday, it was announced on Monday that he had been traded to MI, with no player going the other way.
Shortly after the news was made official on Monday, GT announced 24-year-old Gill as their new captain. “I am proud to assume the Captaincy of Gujarat Titans and I cannot thank the franchise enough for their trust in me to lead such a fine team. Let’s make it memorable! To all the fans… #AavaDe!” said Gill on X.
Gill had played a pivotal role in GT winning the title in 2022 and won the Orange Cap last season. GT director of cricket Vikram Solanki said that the batter has "shown growth in stature and standing over the last two years at the highest level of the game."
"We've seen him mature not only as a batter but also as a leader in cricket. His contribution on the field has helped Gujarat Titans emerge as a formidable force, guiding the team through a successful campaign in 2022 and a strong run in 2023. His maturity and skill is evident in his on-field performance and we are extremely excited to embark on a new journey with a young leader like Shubman at the helm," said Solanki.
{{/usCountry}}"We've seen him mature not only as a batter but also as a leader in cricket. His contribution on the field has helped Gujarat Titans emerge as a formidable force, guiding the team through a successful campaign in 2022 and a strong run in 2023. His maturity and skill is evident in his on-field performance and we are extremely excited to embark on a new journey with a young leader like Shubman at the helm," said Solanki.
{{/usCountry}}Gill, with 890 runs at an average of 59.33 from 17 matches was the leading scorer at last IPL - the second-highest of all time behind Virat Kohli's tally of 973 - and with a prolific record in 2023 behind him, was the most obvious choice for the post. Kane Williamson was another name that was doing the rounds, but the franchise felt who better to represent them than the future face of Indian cricket and a captain in the making.