NEW DELHI, Mar 21:
The decision to leave Shubman Gill out of India’s squad for the recently concluded ICC Men’s T20 World Cup may serve as added motivation for the India Test and ODI captain as he looks to guide Gujarat Titans to the title in the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026.
Former India Test specialist Cheteshwar Pujara believes Gill will use the disappointment of missing out on the T20 World Cup squad as fuel to lead the Titans to success when the IPL begins on March 28.
The Titans, champions in 2022, were knocked out in the Eliminator during the 2025 season and will be aiming to go further this time and secure their second IPL trophy.
Speaking on JioHotstar’s ‘Game Plan – Know Your Team’, Pujara discussed how the T20 World Cup snub could motivate Gill in IPL 2026.
“The T20 World Cup squad snub will definitely fire up Shubman Gill. He is a quality player suited for all three formats. If he has a good IPL 2026 season, he will surely put his name in India’s T20I squad. He is leading the Test squad and is also the ODI captain. He is a multi-format player. If he has a good season, he will be back in the scheme of things for the Indian team.
“There will be some pressure on him because he has not been part of the India squad in the shortest format. But at the same time, it is a great opportunity for him to carry on batting the way he has. He needs to try to accelerate a little more because that is something he has been working on. This IPL season is the perfect one for him to show he can bat at a strike rate of 150 to 160,” said Pujara.
Pujara also spoke about the prospects of young pacer Ashok Sharma, who was signed by the Titans for Rs 90 lakh at the auction, and the possibility of him making his IPL debut this season. He added that working under head coach Ashish Nehra could benefit the youngster.
“Playing your first IPL season with a team like GT, under the guidance of Ashish Nehra, will be a big opportunity for Ashok Sharma. He may not get into the playing XI immediately, early in the season, because you have Prasidh Krishna, Mohammed Siraj, and Kagiso Rabada as the third seamer. But I won’t be surprised if Rabada misses out at some point.
“If they think of bringing in someone like Jason Holder, who has been in prime form in T20 cricket, they could have an extra Indian seamer in Ashok Sharma instead of Rabada. That might be a combination GT can look at. But in the first phase of the IPL, their playing XI will likely remain as it was in the past.”
Pujara further assessed Gujarat Titans’ overall squad strength and said the team has the resources to emerge as title contenders this season. “GT look like a title favourite this season. If you look at their squad, the top order of captain Shubman Gill, Sai Sudharsan, and Jos Buttler is incredible. You cannot have a better top order than them. These three have scored runs with amazing consistency. That is their main strength.”
“The number of all-rounders they have, especially with the addition of Holder, makes them even stronger. Holder is in great form with both bat and ball, and will love to contribute in both departments. Rahul Tewatia will be their main finisher. He can bowl a few overs if needed, but his primary job is to bat well at number six or seven. Shahrukh Khan is also a key player. If he starts performing as per his potential, GT will be a different team altogether.”
“When it comes to bowling, their strength is their seamers. Rabada, Siraj, and Prasidh are their main pacers, and Ishant Sharma is also on the bench if needed. Ashok will be unleashed with his fiery pace at some point in the season. Left-armer Luke Wood is another seamer who knows how to do well. If Rabada does not perform, Wood can replace him. But I hope Rabada, being a strike bowler, has a good IPL. All GT fans will be hoping the same,” said Pujara.
(UNI)
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