How Fantastic Has Gill Been as GT Captain in IPL 2025?

New Delhi, May 17 (NationPress) The assistant coach of Gujarat Titans (GT), Parthiv Patel, praised Shubman Gill for his remarkable leadership as the team captain during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025. He emphasized that Gill's presence as a leader is palpable in the team's dressing room. At just 25 years old, Gill is also a leading candidate to take over as India's next Test captain following the retirement of Rohit Sharma, with a five-match tour of England commencing on June 20.

“He has truly been exceptional,” Patel remarked during a pre-match press conference. “His involvement with the group has been so effective that I hardly need to mention him. The manner in which he manages various situations is commendable; he has been consistently scoring runs and displaying proactiveness both on and off the field. He dedicates significant time to mentoring younger players.”

“I have mentioned this before, but you can genuinely sense that Shubman Gill embodies the captaincy in the dressing room. That's the essence of a true leader. As we move forward, I can’t comment on the discussions surrounding the future, but it’s clear that Gill's performance as GT’s captain has been outstanding,” Patel added.

Gill has led GT to the top of the points table, and a victory against Delhi Capitals (DC) at Arun Jaitley Stadium this Sunday will secure their playoff berth. Alongside Gill, B. Sai Sudharsan and Jos Buttler have been pivotal in scoring for GT this season, while Patel believes that the middle-order players are more than capable of delivering under pressure.

“It’s all about perspective—whether you view the glass as half full or half empty. We are quite satisfied with our top-order batting. They are currently not providing opponents with chances to exploit. We are pleased with the performances of Buttler, Sai Sudharsan, and Shubman Gill throughout this tournament.”

“Whenever Sherfane Rutherford has been given a chance, he has stepped up. Additionally, Washington Sundar played a crucial role in our win in Hyderabad with a fantastic score of 49. We are winning and performing well. When the time calls for it, we believe our middle order is adequately equipped to deliver results.”

Buttler will depart from GT after the IPL 2025 league phase to join the England team for their white-ball series against the West Indies. In his stead, Sri Lankan wicketkeeper-batter Kusal Mendis will join the squad as a replacement.

The revised schedule for IPL 2025, which was interrupted for ten days due to cross-border tensions between India and Pakistan, has led to some overseas players pulling out or leaving after the league stage to return to their national teams.

Patel stated that GT is prepared to address the gap left by Buttler’s absence as they approach the playoffs. “We are aware that he won't be available for the playoffs. Currently, our focus is on the remaining three matches, and we will assess the team balance and combinations as we move forward,” Patel explained.

“But someone like Buttler has been vital for us—not only has he excelled in his role but he also acts as a leader within the group. We will navigate the situation as it unfolds. For now, Buttler is with us for three more games,” he continued.

When asked about the impact of the tournament break on GT’s momentum, Patel responded, “We are in a situation where we would have preferred to keep playing, given the momentum we had. However, circumstances are beyond our control.”

“We must accept the situation and move forward. Many of our players remained in training back in Ahmedabad. We recognize that some factors are out of our control, and we aim to focus on our game. We are currently playing well, and we want to maintain that momentum. While I can't speak for other teams, we are comfortable with our player situation and confident that those stepping in will perform admirably,” Patel concluded.