- Gujarat Titans captain Shubman Gill bats for relentless run-scoring over one-off fireworks
- Head coach Ashish Nehra backs all-conditions dominance—home or away
- Consistency over spectacle: Titans target match-winning totals, not record-chasing 300s
- Balanced unit looks to fire across venues, silence ‘top-order dependency’ debate
Season opener vs Punjab Kings in Mullanpur on March 31 sets the stage
R MANICKAVASAGAM
AHMEDABAD, MAR 26
With a captain’s confident note and a roaring voice, Shubman Gill has laid down the blueprint for Gujarat Titans ahead of IPL 2026—consistency is king, and big runs must become a habit, not a headline.
“At the end of the day, you have to score more runs than the other team. Whether it’s by four runs or 150–200 runs, the goal is to win. We are not chasing the glory of scoring 300–350 in a single match. We want to be a team that consistently scores big runs and achieves the par target for that wicket,” Gill said while addressing the media during a pre-season press conference in Ahmedabad on Thursday.
Winning anywhere, anytime: The Titans creed
Gill underlined adaptability as the team’s core mantra: “We want to win matches in different conditions. We don’t want to be a team that performs only on good wickets.”
Echoing his captain’s vision, head coach Ashish Nehra said: “Like the captain just mentioned, we want to be a team that can win in any condition, in any situation, home or away,”
Team first, always
For Gill, personal milestones take a backseat to collective success: “I am not someone who focuses too much on personal goals. Whether I play for my country or Gujarat Titans, I want the team to win. That is where my personal goal starts and ends.”
Reflecting on his own form and the team’s track record, he added:
“Over the last three or four seasons, I’ve been consistent with my performances, and as a team, we have done decently well. If we continue to be consistent, I believe we can win the trophy again.”
Middle order backed amid debate
Addressing concerns about over-reliance on the top order, Nehra offered a measured defence: “I don’t feel that the middle order was collapsing. The top three, yes, scored a lot of runs and played for around 17–18 overs. That is why the team was in a strong position after 13–14 games. Yes, it was a disappointing end to the tournament. But because those three scored so many runs, the middle order faced very few balls, which is not easy. There might have been one or two occasions in those 14 games where the No. 5 or No. 6 could have finished the game but didn’t. But it’s not an easy situation.”
Consistency: Titans’ winning DNA
Since their debut in 2022, Gujarat Titans have emerged as one of IPL’s most consistent sides—playoff appearances in three of four seasons and a title in their very first year—a record that Gill believes can be built upon.
Season kick-off
Gujarat Titans will begin their IPL 2026 campaign against Punjab Kings in Mullanpur on March 31.
The Squad
Shubman Gill (captain), Rashid Khan, Sai Sudharsan, Rahul Tewatia, Shahrukh Khan, Kagiso Rabada, Jos Buttler, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Nishant Sindhu, Kumar Kushagra, Anuj Rawat, Manav Suthar, Washington Sundar, Arshad Khan, Gurnoor Brar, Sai Kishore, Ishant Sharma, Jayant Yadav, Glenn Phillips, Jason Holder, Ashok Sharma, Tom Banton, Luke Wood and Kulwant Khejroliya.
