What Makes Gill and Sudharsan's Partnership So Effective?

New Delhi, May 22 (NationPress) Gujarat Titans' captain Shubman Gill highlighted that the ability to outsmart the opposition is what contributes to the strength of his batting partnership with Sai Sudharsan. He emphasized that analyzing conditions and evaluating the situation are crucial for his team's tactical success in the IPL 2025.

Together as an opening pair in IPL 2025, Sudharsan and Gill have accumulated 839 runs at an average of 76.27, including seven partnerships of over 50 runs - three of which have exceeded 100 runs. Their remarkable performance established the highest partnership for Gujarat Titans in T20s, marked by an unbeaten 205-run first-wicket stand at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Sunday, leading GT to a 10-wicket victory over Delhi Capitals and securing their playoff spot.

“Although our batting styles differ, the left-right combination works well for us. We both excel at running between the wickets, and we thrive on the challenge of outsmarting our opponents, including the bowlers,” Gill mentioned during a segment on JioHotstar's Gen Bold.

“In T20 cricket, particularly with the new Impact Player rule, the ability to outsmart the opposition has slightly diminished. However, our team still excels in this area. It’s easy to play freely on good wickets, but true skill lies in analyzing conditions and consistently posting competitive totals, which I believe is vital to our success,” he added.

Reflecting on his team’s ongoing success, Gill acknowledged the importance of collective effort across all areas, stating, “It’s been a team performance. The way everyone collaborates and contributes is something we have done exceptionally well over the past three years, and it continues this season.”

Gill further praised coach Ashish Nehra for shaping the team’s identity and supporting the bowling unit. “Ashish had a clear vision when the Gujarat Titans were established in their inaugural year. He understood how to construct the team and define player roles. His communication with the players, both on and off the field, has been outstanding.

“There are always areas for improvement. His individual work with players, particularly the bowlers, is commendable. Many believe that championships are won by batters, but our philosophy is different. It doesn't matter how many runs are scored if we cannot defend them. The way he mentors the bowling unit has been instrumental in our success,” Gill concluded.

Last year, after achieving a remarkable maiden international century in the second T20I against Zimbabwe, Abhishek Sharma disclosed that he used Gill’s bat during the match, a practice he has followed over the years.

Gill also shared a lighthearted anecdote about how Abhishek began using his bats during their U-16 days. “This all started back in our U-16 days when Abhishek began using my bat. There’s a funny story behind it. He was batting on 80 or 90 runs with my match bat, and I was worried it might break, so I asked him to return it. We had a bit of a tussle over that! But I’ve always lent him my bat, and he scored lots of runs with it,” he remarked.