IPL 2024: Captaincy will be new challenge for Shubman Gill – Aakash Chopra

Former Indian Test opener Aakash Chopra reckons captaincy will be a new challenge for young Shubman Gill in the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League. Gill was given the captaincy band by Gujarat Titans after former skipper Hardik Pandya moved back to Mumbai Indians.

This will be the first time when Gill will lead the side at the top level and it will be interesting to note how he will handle the captaincy pressure. Gill had proved his mettle as a batter in the previous season, scoring 890 runs in 17 matches and playing a key role in taking the franchise to the final of the tournament. Gill ended the tournament as the highest run-getter as he bagged the Orange Cap.

Gill has scored 2780 runs in 91 IPL matches at an impressive average of 37.7 and a strike rate of 134.07.

“Opportunity – Shubman Gill, my rockstar player, DNA of greatness. But this is going to be a new challenge as you will be playing as a captain now. All of us have seen that he bats well. You are making him the captain now because he is your most important player in that side, but can he captain that well?” Aakash Chopra said on his YouTube Channel.

“I feel the Gujarat Titans’ captaincy strings are tied to Ashish Nehra. If that tuning is fine, which I feel will be the case, they will take the team forward. So Shubman Gill will have a huge opportunity as a captain,” Chopra observed.

Meanwhile, Chopra backed India’s veteran fast bowler Umesh Yadav to shine under the tutelage of Gujarat Titans head coach Ashish Nehra as a new-ball bowler. GT will be without the services of Mohammad Shami and Yadav will look to fill in the big shoes.

“The same is the case with Umesh Yadav. Umesh Yadav has been almost discarded. No one was playing him and he has come to this team. The ball moves here under lights. He is a bowler who can pick up two or three wickets with the new ball and will do well under Ashish Nehra,” Chopra added.

The renowned commentator backed Mohit Sharma to deliver in the death overs. Sharma ended the previous season as the second-highest wicket-taker with 27 scalps in 14 matches.

“Mohit Sharma will take care of the death overs and Umesh Yadav will be handed the new ball. Who will bowl along with him, whether it will be Darshan Nalkande or Kartik Tyagi, so there is also an opportunity for another Indian seamer alongside Umesh Yadav,” Chopra stated.

Gujarat Titans will begin their IPL 2024 campaign against Mumbai Indians at their home ground of Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad on March 24.