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Harbhajan Singh Compares Ashish Nehra to a Football Coach for GT's IPL Success

Harbhajan Singh has lauded Gujarat Titans head coach Ashish Nehra, comparing his energetic and communicative sideline style to that of a football coach. Singh credits Nehra's ability to create a comfortable and united environment as key to GT's turnaround this season. The Titans secured their third consecutive win, powered by captain Shubman Gill's 86 and Kagiso Rabada's 3/29, to defeat KKR. This victory places GT fourth in the points table as they prepare to face Mumbai Indians next.

Key Points: Harbhajan Singh Lauds Ashish Nehra's Football-Style Coaching

  • GT's three-match winning streak
  • Nehra's title-winning 2022 debut
  • Shubman Gill's match-winning 86
  • Rabada's crucial 3/29 bowling
  • Team unity under Nehra
2 min read

"Ashish Nehra is like a football coach": Harbhajan Singh lauds GT head coach

Harbhajan Singh praises GT coach Ashish Nehra's energetic, communicative style, comparing him to a football coach, as GT climbs IPL 2026 table.

"He is like a football coach. He never sits still. - Harbhajan Singh"

New Delhi, April 18

After starting the IPL 2026 season with back-to-back defeats, Gujarat Titans have bounced back with consecutive three wins and have placed themselves at fourth place in the points table.

Credit for GT's turnaround also goes to the head coach, Ashish Nehra, who led the side to the title in their debut 2022 season, becoming the first Indian head coach to win the tournament.

Speaking on JioHotstar's 'Champions Waali Commentary', former India cricketer Harbhajan Singh compared Nehra's coaching style to a football coach, highlighting his non-stop energy and communication with the players.

"Ashish Nehra is the only person who makes the atmosphere comfortable anywhere, anytime. Wherever he goes, he makes everyone around him feel at ease. Not just himself, but everyone who works with him. One of the finest human beings you will ever meet. If you are with him, you are guaranteed to have a good time," said Singh.

"His biggest contribution to the Gujarat Titans is keeping everyone united. That is Ashish Nehra. He is like a football coach. He never sits still. Throughout the entirety of a match, he will find a player and keep talking to him. Nehra ji has a great understanding of the game. The work he has done with the Gujarat Titans is commendable," he added.

In their last match, the Ajinkya Rahane-led KKR, while batting first, were reduced to 32-3 in four overs when Cameron Green joined hands with Rovman Powell (27 runs) to stitch a 55-run partnership and then combined for a 60-run partnership with Anukul Roy. Green scored a 55-ball 79 and guided KKR to 180 in 20 overs, a total that looked rather difficult to achieve early in the team's innings.

GT, powered by captain Shubman Gill's 86-run knock, chased KKR's score with two balls and five wickets remaining and handed KKR their fifth successive defeat in the IPL 2026.

Kagiso Rabada's bowling figures of 3/29 in 4 overs proved crucial for the GT earlier in the match. With the win, GT now find themselves placed fourth on the points table.

While the Gujarat Titans are on a three-match winning streak, their Net Run Rate (NRR) remains only slightly above zero. In contrast, several other teams have much stronger NRR figures--well over 0.300--with table-toppers Punjab Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru both boasting NRRs exceeding +1.

The Shubman Gill-led GT will take on the Mumbai Indians in their next game in Ahmedabad on Monday.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

S
Sarah B
As a cricket fan from abroad, it's fascinating to see this comparison to football coaching. The high-energy, communicative style is becoming more global. Nehra seems to have that modern manager vibe. GT's comeback this season is impressive.
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Ananya R
Love this! Indian coaches are finally getting their due credit. For too long we looked only at foreign coaches. Nehra Paaji's understanding of the domestic scene and his man-management are top-class. Wishing GT all the best for the next match against MI!
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Vikram M
The winning streak is good, but the article rightly points out the NRR worry. We can't just scrape through wins. Need bigger margins, especially with teams like PBKS and RCB having such high NRR. Hope the team addresses this.
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Karthik V
Shubman Gill leading from the front and Nehra guiding from behind - perfect combo! Gill's 86 was a captain's knock. The team looks settled now. Monday's match in Ahmedabad will be a cracker! 💥
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Priya S
Harbhajan's praise says a lot. When a senior player like him appreciates another's soft skills, it highlights what truly makes a team successful. It's not just tactics, it's creating a positive environment. More coaches should learn from this.

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