Shubman Gill did not get too many runs in the just-concluded ODI series against Australia. The Gujarat Titans are unconcerned with their opener’s current performance, though.
What the reigning champs want to concentrate more on is Gill’s “professional attitude” as well as his feeling of duty.
Since he takes on a lot of responsibilities, Shubman is a leader in his own way. At a virtual news conference on Thursday, the Titans’ director of cricket, Vikram Solanki, said: “I don’t think it matters that you play with an asterisk next to a player’s name.
“Shubman adapted to the leadership position last year by his manner, the way he goes about and with his professional approach towards the game.”
Gill also appears to be the Titans’ leader for the future. “Yes, absolutely, though no decision has been made on it. But he’s a very mature and considerate young man who has an abundant amount of talent.
He also has a very sharp cricketing mind, and we’ll keep talking to him and asking for his input on every choice we make, Solanki said.
When the Titans won the IPL last year on their debut, captain Hardik Pandya took the helm and led from the front. They are confident that Pandya’s leadership will once again be successful in making sure the team succeeds this year as well.
“I maintain that we viewed Hardik as a leader from the time he joined the team last year because he had the experience of winning several IPL titles with Mumbai Indians and played a leadership role there. That was pretty clear from the way he carried himself,” recalled Solanki, who played 51 ODIs and three T20Is for England.
“Hardik adapted to that leadership position nearly without effort. He helped us so much last year that we are eager for him to join the team. We don’t know whether there will be a difference in his leadership since he has led India, but I’m convinced Hardik will be the same as he was last year and will keep the entire squad involved.”
The Titans will lose David Miller in their IPL 2023 opener against Chennai Super Kings in Ahmedabad on March 31. Miller will be busy playing for South Africa in an ODI series against The Netherlands, which ends on April 2.