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All eyes will be on India's star batter Shubman Gill who will be leading Gujarat Titans (GT) in the 2024 IPL season. This comes as a surprise to some, including veteran pacer Mohammed Shami, who feels the captaincy role might have come a bit early for the talented batsman. Notably, under Gill's captaincy, GT will start their IPL 2024 campaign against Mumbai Indians (MI) on March 24.
Gill, often dubbed the ‘prince of Indian cricket’ and a potential successor to Virat Kohli's batting throne, was handed the captaincy after Hardik Pandya's trade back to the MI. This decision by the 2022 champions, led by former Indian pacer Ashish Nehra, raises questions about whether it might be a rushed move. It will be the first time Titans will be heading in the IPL tussle without Pandya, star all-rounder who led them to title triumph in their debut season of the glitzy league. Shami's comments highlight the pressure and expectations placed on Gill's young shoulders as he steps into the leadership role for the Titans.
Mohammed Shami's bold remark on Shubman Gill's captaincy
Meanwhile, Shami has given his two cents on Gill's captaincy challenge ahead of GT versus MI clash.
“The captaincy came early, and he wouldn’t have expected it; I feel the same. But you had to take the responsibility one day. You have been performing well in past seasons and producing good performances in international cricket, too,” Shami told Cricbuzz.
Shubman Gill's stunning outing in IPL 2023
Gill's rise to captaincy wasn't a surprise considering his stellar performance for the Titans. He was instrumental in their championship run in 2022, contributing 483 runs with a consistent average of 34.50. His leadership qualities further blossomed in 2023, where he not only led the Titans to the finals but also bagged the prestigious Orange Cap. This remarkable season saw him amass a staggering 890 runs with an impressive strike rate exceeding 150, including a phenomenal trio of centuries and four fifties. With such consistent brilliance, it was only natural that captaincy would eventually fall upon his capable shoulders.
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“You don’t have to take too much load over the captaincy, just be normal and have patience. The more you stay calm, the better it will be. You have the responsibility now; you can’t say no," Shami further added.
It will be interesting to see how Gill performs in his first assignment as Titans' captain. Meanwhile, eyes will also be on former GT skipper Hardik Pandya who will be leading MI in the cracking contest against GT.
Gujarat Titans' squad for IPL 2024
Shubman Gill (c), Azmatullah Omarzai, Spencer Johnson, Kartik Tyagi, Josh Little, Abhinav Manohar, David Miller, Sushant Mishra, Darshan Nalkande, Noor Ahmad, Rashid Khan, Wriddhiman Saha, Sai Kishore, Sai Sudharsan, M Shahrukh Khan, Vijay Shankar, BR Sharath, Mohit Sharma, Manav Suthar, Rahul Tewatia, Matthew Wade, Kane Williamson, Jayant Yadav, Umesh Yadav.
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