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Ambati Rayudu Praises Shubman Gill's Growing Captaincy Maturity in IPL 2026

Former India batter Ambati Rayudu praised Shubman Gill for his growing maturity as captain, calling him "sorted and settled" after Gujarat Titans' dominant 82-run win over Sunrisers Hyderabad. Rayudu noted Gill's tactical evolution, particularly his greater faith in a five-pace attack led by Kagiso Rabada and Mohammed Siraj, rather than forcing spinners into the game. The GT fast bowlers completely dominated, with Rabada taking 3/28 and Holder 3/20 as SRH collapsed for just 86 runs. Rayudu believes Gill's willingness to back his pacers reflects a growing tactical maturity that makes him an "accomplished leader."

Key Points: Rayudu Hails Gill's Leadership After GT's Dominant Win

  • Gill praised for growing maturity as captain
  • GT tops points table with dominant 82-run win
  • Rayudu highlights Gill's tactical faith in pacers over spinners
  • GT's fast bowlers (Rabada, Holder, Siraj) dismantle SRH for 86
2 min read

'He is becoming an accomplished leader': Rayudu praises Gill's captaincy

Former India batter Ambati Rayudu praises Shubman Gill's captaincy growth, calling him "sorted and settled" after Gujarat Titans' 82-run victory over SRH in IPL 2026.

"He looks so sorted and settled as a captain... he is now becoming an accomplished leader - Ambati Rayudu"

New Delhi, May 13

Former India batter Ambati Rayudu praised Shubman Gill for his growing maturity as captain, saying the Gujarat Titans skipper now looks sorted and settled while leading the side in IPL 2026.

Gill's leadership once again came under the spotlight after the Gujarat Titans (GT) climbed to the top of the points table with a dominant 82-run victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

"He looks so sorted and settled as a captain, compared to what we have seen him in the first season that he has led. So, he is now becoming an accomplished leader, slowly but steadily, he is really getting up there," Rayudu told ESPNCricinfo.

Rayudu also reflected on discussions surrounding Gill's handling of spin bowlers during his early days as captain, particularly during his stint leading India in Test cricket on the England tour.

"The parameter generally is how a captain handles spin, and that is something that was a point of discussion when he captained India in a couple of Test matches in England as well," he said.

However, Rayudu believes Gill has adapted smartly to the Gujarat Titans' current strengths by showing greater trust in the pace attack led by Kagiso Rabada, Mohammed Siraj, Jason Holder, and Prasidh Krishna.

"But apart from that, there have been occasions wherein he has shown greater faith in the faster bowlers than the spinners, and once you have the calibre of Rashid Khan, at times he has been under-bowled," Rayudu said.

"But having a line-up of five fast bowlers and if they are doing well and if they are successful, why do you want to unnecessarily disturb the pattern of play," he added.

Rayudu further explained that Gill's willingness to back his pacers instead of forcing spin into the attack reflects a growing tactical maturity.

"So, I think he is doing a pretty good job of, at times, not using the spinner can also be a good strategy," he said.

Speaking of the match, GT's fast bowlers completely dominated proceedings. Rabada claimed 3/28, Holder picked up 3/20, while Siraj and Prasidh Krishna also made key contributions as SRH collapsed inside 15 overs for just 86 runs.

Earlier, half-centuries from Sai Sudharsan (61) and Washington Sundar (50) guided the Gujarat Titans to a competitive total on a challenging batting surface.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
Gill has matured a lot since his first season as GT captain. The way he handled Rabada, Siraj, and Holder yesterday was brilliant. But let's not forget he still needs to work on his Test captaincy - those England tours exposed some gaps. Promising, but long way to go.
M
Michael C
Interesting take from Rayudu. As someone who follows IPL from abroad, it's refreshing to see a young Indian captain trusting his fast bowlers. The IPL is where future India captains are forged, and Gill seems to be learning fast.
V
Vikram M
Rayudu's analysis is good but slightly exaggerated. Gill is doing okay, but 'accomplished leader' is too strong. He captained India in Tests and looked lost at times. Let him win a few more matches before we call him the next Dhoni. But yes, yesterday's win was impressive.
S
Sarah B
As someone who watches IPL from Canada, it's fascinating to see how Indian cricket develops young leaders. Gill's journey from a talented batsman to a thinking captain is worth watching. The way he used his pace attack against SRH was top-class.
K
Kavya N
One thing I appreciate about Gill is how calm he remains under pressure. Even when things went wrong in his early captaincy days, he didn't panic. Yesterday's win showed he's learning to adapt - using 5 fast bowlers instead of forcing Rashid into the attack was a brave call.
R
Rohit P
Rayudu knows a thing or two about captaincy, having played under Dhoni. If he says Gill is becoming an accomplished leader, I'll take his word.

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