The Gujarat Titans (GT) were introduced as one of the new franchises ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 season. They were along with Lucknow Super Giants, the ninth and tenth side in the tournament. From the onset, the franchise looked rock solid in their management and the way they conducted players on and off the field. Hardik Pandya as the captain of the side and also the fact that he even belonged to that part of the country helped the franchise attract all the local support.
The team were filled with megastars like David Miller, Shubman Gill, Rashid Khan, Mohammed Shami etc. It was with sheer dominance that Gujarat Titans won their first title in their first-ever appearance back in 2022. In addition, GT finished as runners-up in the 2023 edition of IPL as they lost to Chennai Super Kings in the finals. It is to be kept in mind that these achievements have all come under Hardik Pandya as captain. Hence, with Pandya leaving the team and joining Mumbai Indians for IPL 2024, the team management will have to look into it and search for reliable options to lead GT. Let us look at the three best possible options available to them:
#3. Shubman Gill
Shubman Gill in IPL 2023 (Source: Twitter)
One choice upfront for the team is the young and dynamic opener of the India cricket team, Shubman Gill. Gill used to play for the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in previous IPL seasons but since the introduction of GT in IPL he has been playing in GT. After having a mediocre 2022 season with the franchise, in 2023 Gill wreaked havoc against every team he played against.
The talismanic opener secured the IPL 2023 Orange Cap by accumulating 890 runs in 17 matches during the season. He displayed outstanding form towards the end of the tournament, hitting three centuries in the last five games. Gill joined the ranks as only the third batter to amass over 800 runs in a single IPL season. Additionally, he notched the second-highest run total by a batter in a single edition of the tournament, second only to Virat Kohli’s 973 runs in 2016. With such a surreal number and the fact that he is also a permanent member of the team, he can be a great option to lead the team.
