Shubman Gill and Hardik Pandya (Image: X)
As the dust settles on Hardik Pandya’s much-talked-about move back to Mumbai Indians, and IPL fans come to terms with Shubman Gill being handed the leadership of the Gujarat Titans, some interesting trends have started to emerge on the horizon.
For GT, the easiest thing under the circumstances would have been to go to Kane Williamson as captain for the forthcoming season. A man of proven leadership pedigree, no one would have doubted such a call. It was the safe and conventional option for a franchise which had to let go of a leader who had taken the team to the final in two consecutive seasons. GT did not go down the safe route. Rather, they opted for Gill. Gill, touted as the future of Indian cricket leadership, is still raw and untested.
Much like Hardik was when he was handed the leadership of the Titans in 2022. At the time, Hardik was recuperating from injury. Not much was going for him. And yet, the Titans management trusted him. Invested in his leadership, and the rest is history. With Gill, GT have followed a similar philosophy. Knowing well that Williamson would have been a stop-gap, short-term arrangement at best, they have gone for long-term stability. It is a risk, yes, but one that has long-term thinking at its core.
The fact that Hardik now leads India’s T20I side owes much to his record as GT captain. Two IPL finals in a row have added greatly to his CV. GT, in that sense, allowed the leader in Hardik to flourish, and India benefitted from the call. Now, they are trying to do the same with Gill. While the results aren’t known, the consistency in the thought process is very apparent. By not giving in to a knee-jerk reaction at Hardik’s departure, GT have gone with someone they believe is the future of the franchise. May be it is this consistency in decision-making that explains the success of the franchise in the first two years of its existence.
For Gill, this is a great opportunity. He has a considerable purse going into the auction and will know that the franchise is investing in him long-term. He can pick players in consultation with Ashish Nehra and Gary Kirsten and, in that sense, give shape to the team he will lead in March. That, in itself, could give the leader a cushion that most franchises don’t offer in the IPL. In a cut-throat franchise competition where perform-or-perish is the accepted mantra, investing in the future is a rarity. Gill can only benefit from it, and become a better leader in the months and years ahead. Released by the Kolkata Knight Riders, he found his T20 mojo with GT and has used the platform to make it to the Indian team. He had a stellar IPL in 2023 and, with the opportunity to lead, could have an even better tournament in 2024.
Sunil Gavaskar, India’s greatest opener, was a product of his times. An India still in its youth, trying to rebuild after a fierce struggle for independence. He wanted to save his team and then look at the options. Tendulkar happened to India at the time of economic liberalisation, and the flamboyance was a function of his age. Virat Kohli’s peer group didn’t carry the baggage of the past and showed what fearlessness is all about, while Gill belongs to a generation where patience is not considered to be one of the blessed virtues. Like instant noodles, people crave immediate success, but somewhere down the line, they might just stop and applaud a talent like Gill – who will cater to this generation’s needs without compromising on his virtues as a cricketer. May be that’s what has prompted GT to make this call.
Gill hasn’t been swayed by all the accolades coming his way, for he has never bothered about what’s said when he takes the field to bat. “It’s only when you are off the field that you come to know about what’s being said about you,” he once said. “Once you enter the field, these things fade out. You only think about the opposition and ways to win matches.” Now, he will continue to do that, but with a difference. Win, yes, but lead as well. All the best to him, and to GT.
The post Gujarat Titans’ Call Further Proof that Shubman Gill Has Come of Age as a Cricketer appeared first on RevSportz | Latest Sports News.
As the dust settles on Hardik Pandya’s much-talked-about move back to Mumbai Indians, and IPL fans come to terms with Shubman Gill being handed the leadership of the Gujarat Titans,…
The post Gujarat Titans’ Call Further Proof that Shubman Gill Has Come of Age as a Cricketer appeared first on RevSportz | Latest Sports News.
