Former Indian cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin has outlined his hopes for Gujarat Titans skipper Shubman Gill heading into the 2026 IPL season.
Shubman Gill, who was named the team’s captain in 2024, had an outstanding season in 2025, accumulating 650 runs at a strike rate of 155.88. He is one of GT’s most dependable hitters, and Ashwin anticipates that he will provide comparable results in 2026.
“To dismiss him in Ahmedabad, he has become a bit like a don these days, it is quite difficult to get him out. So, I think Shubman Gill has nothing to worry about, and if I was him, I would be telling myself to go out and plunder runs once again. The best way to keep yourself in reckoning is by making volume of runs. He will be the best batter for GT,” R Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.
Ashwin thinks Gill can score runs without making a lot of effort to speed up the scoring. According to the former off-spinner, he does not have to chase a high strike rate, which could be harmful to GT’s season.
“I think knowing Shubman and having seen him close quarters, he loves batting a lot. Scoring runs is a hobby for him. He just scores runs. I have no doubt that Shubman will go about is batting business, just like last year. If Shubman keeps chasing strike rate and does not score runs, then GT will struggle big time. I hope he does not do that. Gill has a lot of skill. He can score runs without chasing a high strike rate. If he plays normal cricket, what shots doesn’t he have?” Ashwin added.
Despite being selected captain in Tests and ODIs, Gill was left off of India’s T20 World Cup team. Ashwin hopes Gill has a great IPL season so he can return to the T20 squad.
“In the top three of Gill, Sudharsan, and Buttler, Gill will come into the season really hungry. We will get another season where Gill chases the Orange Cap. It may also happen that he gets the Orange Cap, because he can and will do anything to get back into the T20I team,” R Ashwin said.
The Gujarat Titans will play their first game of the season on April 1 at Mullanpur’s New PCA Stadium against the Punjab Kings.
