Gujarat Titans (GT) are seen as strong contenders for victory in IPL 2026, with former India leg-spinner Piyush Chawla praising Shubman Gill’s leadership skills. The team, winners of IPL 2022, secured a playoff spot as the second-best team on the points table with 18 points. They are set to face defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the Qualifier 1 at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamshala.
Chawla emphasized the importance of effective bowling and batting rotations for a captain, highlighting Gill’s strategic decisions this season. Gill’s authoritative and clear captaincy style has earned praise, with Chawla crediting him for the team’s strong position. The former India all-rounder Sanjay Bangar also commended Sai Sudharsan’s father for his support and prayers for his son, who leads the IPL 2026 run-scoring charts.
As the opening pair for GT, Gill and Sudharsan have been instrumental, accumulating 702 runs in 13 innings this season. Their partnership is the highest in IPL 2026, surpassing other notable pairs like Travis Head–Abhishek Sharma and Virat Kohli–Devdutt Padikkal. Former India batter Suresh Raina hailed Gill and Sudharsan as the best batting duo in IPL history, emphasizing their exceptional consistency and game awareness.
Their remarkable partnership has seen them achieve 21 fifty-plus stands in just 46 innings, the fastest in IPL history. Raina highlighted their ability to build innings patiently, minimize dot balls, and select the right moments to attack. Veteran fast bowler Umesh Yadav praised their approach in the powerplay, noting their ability to accumulate runs smoothly without taking unnecessary risks.
